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Climate Change Confab 2015: Respite For Mother Earth

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Representative of the Director-General, National Environmental  Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Mr Victor Ojogbo, Director, Inspection and Enforcement, Mrs Miranda Amachree and Director, Partnership Education, Mr Aniefo Akpabio, at the NESREA National Regulatory Dialogue on the Implementation of National Environmental Reulations in Nigeria, in Abuja recently.

Representative of the Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Mr Victor Ojogbo, Director, Inspection and Enforcement, Mrs Miranda Amachree and Director, Partnership Education, Mr Aniefo Akpabio, at the NESREA National Regulatory Dialogue on the Implementation of National Environmental Reulations in Nigeria, in Abuja recently.

The just concluded cli
mate change conference in Paris, France has demonstrated the commitment of the world towards tackling the incidence of global warming.
The conference which ended with landmark decisions also raised the hope of some countries, especially developing countries, of an end to climate change.
However, Environmentalists and other key stakeholders across the world believed that the key decisions reached at the conference will succeed, if there is enough political will by global leaders, especially major industrialized countries to implement them.
Tugged COP 21 the conference brought together Ministers of Environment from over 190 countries to discuss and find ways of addressing the issue  of climate change which is threatening the continued existence of mother earth.
Key decisions or goals reached include; reduction in green house emission by countries across the world “specially, countries agreed to keep global temperature below two degree Celsius.
“It also agreed to spend the sum of one hundred billion dollars yearly, starting from 2020 to help developing countries”.
French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabious, who chaired the session, described the deal as a historic turning point.
On her part, South African Minister of Environment, Edna Molewa also described the deal as a major breakthrough for both developing and developed countries.
Molewa who spoke along with the Maltese Minister of Environment, said that  both developing and developed countries made commitment to save the earth from destruction.
She also described the deal as the  first ever approves climate change agreement as well as “a last chance to avet climate change”.
Meanwhile, Environmentalists say, the deal will work, if developed countries stop seeing pollution as an instrument that has commercial value.
A cross section of Environmental Right Activists who reacted to the conference decisions in an interview with The Tide, said that, the buck lies on the tables of developed countries to prove their commitment towards the survival of the earth.
According to them, the Paris conference will succeed, if developed countries stopped aiding and abetting industrial pollution, adding that previous conferences did not achieved results because of the narrow interest of some developed countries.
Dr Fidelis Allen, a lecturer in the Department of Political and Administrative Studies, University of Port Harcourt, who reacted on the outcome of the conference in an interview with The Tide, said that as long as developed countries see pollution as an instrument of commercial value,  the deal will not work.
According to him, “There are fears that developed countries have decided on market instrument on mode of addressing climate change.
“When you make pollution a commodity to be traded in the market, you will not want to cut pollution”, he said.
He said that until countries such as the United States of America, Britain, China and India, which are worst Green House emission countries are ready to cut pollution, the situation will continue.
According to him, “when you make money from pollution, every channels towards its reduction will be blocked”, adding that the concept of climate change is helping few.
capitalist countries who speculate over profit.         The University don however described the deal as a welcome development, especially the decision to keep global temperature below 2 degree Celsius in view of the danger that awaits humanity, if the temperature exceeded 2 degree Celsius.
He also commended the decision to set aside one hundred billion dollars to funding developing countries.
Dr Allen particularly urged Nigerian government to toe the line of COP 21 conference by stopping gas flaring in the country, stressing that this would go a long way to check the impact of pollution in the oil and gas sector producing areas of the country.
According to him, the activities of the fossil fuel industry is destroying the environment, adding that these can be seen in the areas of rising sea level which is threatening the existence  of coastal communities in the Niger Delta.
Another Environmental Right Activist, Mr John Akinnuba described the key goals reached at the conference as a welcome development but urged for its effective implementation.
Mr Akinnuba said that, the world has reached a stage where it can no longer run away from climate change, stressing that decisions reached must be effectively implemented to save Mother  Earth from destruction.
“I welcomed the decisions reached.  It will help the Earth, if key actors in the agreement are committed to its implementation”.
On his part, Mr Steve Obodoekwe who works with the Centre for Environment Human Right And Development (CEHRD) also expressed doubt on the willingness of developed countries to effectively implement decisions reached at COP 21 conference as previous conferences have failed to achieve results.
Mr Obodoekwe however said that, he welcomed the commitments and called on countries across the world to abide by it.
Others also spoke on the same vein.
However, following the French foreign minister’s description of the deals as “Historic Turning Point”, it is now left for countries across the world to be wholly committed and total in its implementation as it is only by so doing that we can save Mother Earth from the impending calamity.

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LAWMA Director Says Sweeping Reforms Have Improved Waste Collection 

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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.
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Lagos State  Government Refuted Resumed Monthly Sanitation 

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

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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.
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