Environment

NiMet Sets Up Inter-Agency Taskteam For Flood Alert

Published

11 years ago

August 31, 2015

The Nigerian Meteoro
logical Agency (NiMet) on Wednesday inaugurated a six-man inter-agency task team on flood alert to provide timely and adequate data for the control of flood in the country.
Director General of NiMet, Dr Anthony Anuforom, who inaugurated the team, said members were drawn from the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and NiMet.
Anuforom said the formation of the team was sequel to the call from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to increase surveillance on the upper Niger area to mitigate flooding.
He said the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) had also alerted the three agencies that Cameroonian authorities would be releasing water from Lagdo Dam between July and November.
“In response to these two letters, NiMet and its sister agency, NIHSA and NEMA agreed that we have to increase our surveillance of those areas.
“We have to also increase our preparedness in case anything happens and that is why NEMA came into the picture.
“NiMet has surveillance over rainfall pattern and NIHSA has surveillance over the hydrological side of things at the level of rivers.
“So, we have agreed to set up a team that will be saddled with the responsibility of daily monitoring of the rainfall pattern and water level all around rivers Niger and Benue,’’ he said.
According to Anuforo, it is on this background that “this Interagency Task Team of NiMet, NIHSA and NEMA on Flood Alert and Early Warning Advisory is formally inaugurated”.
He said NiMet would maintain contact with the African Centre for Geological Application for Management (ACGMA) in Niger Republic that provide forecast for the Niger and the sub-region.
He also said that NiMet had gone a step further to employ numeric weather prediction resources to focus more on the areas bordering rivers Niger and Benue, aside its daily weather predictions.
The team has Mr Joseph Alozie, General Manager, Climate Services, NiMet as leader with Mr Justine Uwazuruonye, NEMA and Mr Ade Shuaibu of NIHSA as members.
Others are Mr K.A Alao from NiMet; Mr Kayode Fagbemi, NEMA; and Mr John Gbadamasi from NIHSA.
The team is expected to intensify frequency of monitoring of rainfall and river levels along rivers Niger and Benue, and provide technical reports to the three agencies
It is expected to liaise closely with Lagdo dam managers to know the exact time of release and volume of water to be released.
The team will also liaise with ACGAMA in Niamey, Niger Basin Authority, Kainji and Shiroro dams’ managers and other similar agencies that can share data in the area around these rivers.
In his speech, Alozie said the team would take the assignment seriously as it was a national call that must be answered with utmost dedication.
He said the team would keep a close watch on the emerging trends in the rivers and water level, as well as rainfall for the rest of the season.

Environment

LAWMA Director Says Sweeping Reforms Have Improved Waste Collection

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, says sweeping reforms and infrastructure upgrades have significantly improved waste collection efficiency across the state.

Gbadegesin disclosed this to newdmen last week in Lagos state.

He said LAWMA expanded night cleaning operations and increased street sweeping coverage to 1,000 routes statewide.

He disclosed that 16,000 street sweepers were currently engaged across Lagos, supported by improved logistics and operational systems.

He said LAWMA acquired new equipment three years ago to complement Private Sector Participants (PSP) compactors and rehabilitated old trucks to strengthen fleet capacity.

He added that additional compactor trucks were expected in the coming months.

“Heavy-duty equipment is now deployed to clear legacy illegal dumpsites across communities,” he said.

Gbadegesin said LAWMA strengthened human capacity by expanding its advocacy department and deepening collaboration with Community Development Associations (CDAs) and local councils.

He revealed that each local government now operates a waste management task force, supported by LAWMA integration desks.

On waste-to-wealth initiatives, he disclosed that the Lagos State House of Assembly had ratified a concession agreement with ZoomLion to construct transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities.

The facilities, he said, would enable closure of the Olusosun and Solous landfills and process 4,000 tonnes of waste daily.

He said organic waste, which constitutes about 50 per cent of Lagos waste, would be converted into compost, while plastics would be recycled into waste bins.

Gbadegesin also disclosed plans for a 1,500-tonnes-per-day waste-to-energy plant in partnership with a Dutch firm, Harvest Waste.

He said the project was expected to generate 60 megawatts of electricity to support emerging industrial zones.

He further highlighted a pilot biogas plant at the Epe Food Market, which processes 500kg of organic waste daily to generate electricity for market operations.

He called for stronger media collaboration to enhance public awareness and behavioral change.

“Waste management is not just about equipment; it is about human behaviour, enforcement and strong regulatory systems,” he said.

He urged residents to utilise LAWMA’s toll-free lines and digital platforms to report service gaps instead of resorting to illegal dumping.

Environment

Lagos State Government Refuted Resumed Monthly Sanitation

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Lagos State Government on Saturday refuted an online media report claiming that the state had resumed the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, said no categorical statement had been made regarding the commencement date of the exercise.

Wahab explained that what he told newsmen after a project inspection tour last Sunday was that engagements with relevant stakeholders were still ongoing.

He said the state government had planned to begin with a sensitisation programme last week, but was constrained by logistics issues.

“The truth is, we were meant to start with a sensitisation programme last week, but we had a logistics issue. We need to find a day that is acceptable to all stakeholders,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the exercise might return very soon, adding that the official date would be communicated by the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The commissioner urged law-abiding residents to continue their lawful activities without hindrance, assuring them that adequate notice would be given before the exercise was reintroduced.

The monthly environmental sanitation, previously held on the last Saturday of every month between 7.00 a.m. and 10.00 a.m., was suspended in November 2016 following a legal pronouncement restricting movement during the exercise.

However, renewed waste management challenges, including clogged drainage channels and indiscriminate refuse disposal, have sparked calls from residents for its reinstatement.

Environment

Ministry Of Environment To Validate A Landmark Policy To Advance Nigeria’s Economy

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Ministry of Environment last Thursday convened key stakeholders in Abuja to validate a landmark policy brief aimed at tackling marine litter to advance Nigeria’s transition to a circular economy.

Mrs Falmata Bukar-Kolo, the Deputy Director, Solid Waste Management and Technology Division in the ministry, warned that plastic pollution poses serious risks to aquatic ecosystems and public health.

She stated that microplastics have already entered the food chain through fish consumption, while clogged waterways, soil contamination, and greenhouse gas emissions from burning plastics are worsening the environmental crisis.

Bukar-Kolo said that plastics, though widely used, are non-biodegradable and persist in the environment for years.

She called for improved waste management systems, stronger enforcement of environmental regulations, and behavioural change amongst citizens and businesses.

Mr Clem Ugorji, Regional Coordinator of PROTEGO, emphasised on the urgency of action, saying Nigeria’s marine litter crisis carries environmental, economic, and reputational costs.

He expressed optimism that the 2025 to 2040 roadmap endorsed at the workshop would shift the country from prolonged dialogue to concrete implementation.

The event was organised in collaboration with PROTEGO (Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea).

Discussions centred on a draft policy input paper titled “Policies, Institutional Set-up and Financing of Marine Litter Prevention in Nigeria,”.

These seeks to present insightful analysis and a set of recommendations to address the structural and financing gaps that have long hindered effective waste management, particularly plastic leakage from inland communities and waterways into the Atlantic Ocean.

The PROTEGO initiative is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection and led by adelphi, with implementation in Nigeria by WASTE Africa and the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC).

The policy brief is a key delivery for one of the programme’s four impact areas – building capacities of public stakeholders.