Environment

FG Moves To Reposition River Basin Authorities

Published

9 years ago

January 30, 2017

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources has in Abuja inaugurated a 12-man Executive Management Team to oversee the management of existing River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) across the country.
The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, said that the Federal Government’s target was to ensure that the river basin authorities boosted food security and promoted socio-economic development.
According to him, the re-positioning of the sector is to help meet the agricultural policy trust of the central government.
He said revitalising the river basin authorities would also go a long way to create opportunities for employment generation.
“It is saddening that they have not met their expectations since creation,’’ he said.
He said the Federal government was collaborating with the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) and ICRC to commercialise the river basins, adding that it was the sure way to make them viable.
“In the last one year, we had taken concrete steps to resuscitate the RBDAs, the first of which was to develop an action plan and blue print.
“The blueprint that includes `quick win’ interventions with the objectives of restoring mandate, building institutional capacity, maximising operations and output of the RBDAs.
“We are also collaborating with BPE and ICRC to midwife the RBDAs towards partial and eventual full commercialisation with little or no dependence on government for funding.
“The new management team of the RBDAs is now tasked to turn around the performance of the RBDAS to become more efficient in the delivery of established mandate,’’ he said.
Adamu urged the members to desist from playing politics with their assigned duties, saying they should adhere to transparency and accountability in all of their dealings.
Responding on behalf of the newly inaugurated members, Mr Micheal Nwabufo, Managing Director, Anambra/Imo River basin Development Authority, expressed optimism that they would live to their expectations.
He said the mandate given to them would be judiciously used towards restructuring the river basins to promote food security and employment for the citizens.
Other members are: Saliu Ahmed- Benin-Owena River Basin, Abba Garba- Chad Basin, Bassey Nkposong- Cross River Basin, Khalid Abdullahi-Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin, Mahmoud Adra-Lower Benue River Basin Development and Adeniyi Aremu – Lower Niger River Basin.
The rest are: Tonye David-West-Niger Delta River Basin, Olufemi Odumosu-Ogun/ Osun River Basin, Bature Mohammed -Sokoto Rima River Basin, Abubakar Muazu -Upper Benue River Basin and Abdulkarim Ali-Upper Niger River Basin.
President Muhammadu Buhari had last week approved the reconstitution of the executive management of river basin development authorities under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

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

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

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.