Environment
FAO Establishes Stove Production Centres In Borno
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says it has established three fuel-efficient stove production centres in Borno to check indiscriminate felling of trees.
Mr Macki Tall, the FAO’s Deputy Country Representative, made the disclosure at the inauguration of Fuel-Efficient Stove Production Centre, Gongulon in Jere Local Government Area of the state.
Tall said the measure was part of a comprehensive programme initiated by the organisation to reduce dependence on firewood, encourage development of alternative energies and provide sustainable livelihood to communities.
“To achieve this goal, the FAO has partnered with Borno State Ministry of Environment and the International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development, to establish three production centres for fuel-efficient stove production.
“The centres are in Jere, Konduga and Maiduguri Local Government Councils and have provided training to 100 people in the production of fuel-efficient stove and in the business aspect of running the centres.
“In the first stage, the project foresees to distribute at least 5,000 locally produced fuel-efficient stoves in the three local government areas to households with very limited access to firewood.
“This will help them to reduce the amount of firewood needed to meet their daily cooking need,” Tall said.
He disclosed that the programme was also designed to control deforestation and desert encroachment, noting that over 407,000 hectares of forest resources were deflated annually through tree felling.
Tall added that people engaged in firewood collection were prone to attacks and abduction by Boko Haram insurgents, while women and children were exposed to eye and respiratory infections through inhalation of harmful firewood smoke.
The Borno State Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Kaka Shehu, said the initiative would go a long way in protecting forest resources in the state.
Shehu, represented by Mala Barma, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said that the state government had adopted proactive measures to discourage use of firewood and fasttrack implementation of the Great Green Wall Project.
“Our forest has been subjected to large scale degradation due to activities of the insurgents over the past years.
“Owing to the strangulation of businesses and economic activities as a result of the insurgency, the communities took to wood logging as a means of livelihood, and the situation has been a great concern to the government.
“For the FAO to come up with this laudable initiative for the establishment of production centres for locally produced fuel-efficient stove, is a welcome development,” he said.
Some of the beneficiaries of the training programme, also commended the gesture, noting that it would improve their social and economic conditions.
Malam Bukar Umar, one of the beneficiaries, called on the government to provide them with a vehicle to ease difficulties experienced in the movement of clay and other raw materials to the centre.
The Lagos State Government has commenced installation of new pumps at the Iju Headworks and Akute water intake stations.
The Tide source reports that the project is aimed at increasing water production, improving operational efficiency and expanding access to potable water across the state.
A statement issued by the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) over the weekend said the project was approved and funded by the state government.
It said the installation was part of the rehabilitation of the Iju Headworks and Akute Intake Station under Lots 1, 2 and 3.
According to LWC, the rehabilitation is designed to modernise water production facilities, strengthen operations and improve public water supply.
The Network of Female Professionals in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Nigeria (FEMinWASH) and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) are set to partner on gender-responsive systems strengthening, capacity development and WASH initiatives.
The partnership was proposed during a courtesy visit by a FEMinWASH delegation, led by its President and Convener, Dr Boluwaji Onabolu, to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, in Abuja.
Onabolu, who conveyed greetings from FEMinWASH Patron, retired Engineer Ebele Okeke, commended Walson-Jack for upholding the Federal Civil Service’s EPIC values of Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-centred leadership.
She praised the HoCSF’s efforts in advancing gender inclusion in WASH and the civil service, including the development of the National Gender in Water Resources Mainstreaming Policy and mentoring programmes for women leaders.
Onabolu also highlighted the INSPIRE (Inclusive Network for Supporting Progressive Leadership, Innovation, Reform and Equity for Women) programme, aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and inclusion.
She said FEMinWASH was seeking a formal partnership and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the OHCSF to support INSPIRE, WASH advocacy, capacity building and the institutionalisation of Gender-Responsive Budgeting across the Federal Civil Service.
Responding, Walson-Jack commended the diverse expertise of the FEMinWASH delegation, noting that professionals in WASH, water resources, environment, public health, town planning and education were critical to addressing development challenges.
She welcomed the proposed partnership, assuring that the OHCSF was ready to collaborate with FEMinWASH on civil service strengthening and WASH-related initiatives.
The meeting agreed to further engagements with Dr Garba, Permanent Secretary (Special Duties), and Ms Funke Baruwa, Lead for Partnerships at the OHCSF, to advance the collaboration.
The visit ended with a photo session and exchange of gifts between both parties.
The Special Adviser on Environment, Mr Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, commended the community on the massive turn-out for sanitation.
He also appreciated the chairman and his team for their support to the ministry.
Rotimi-Akodu urged the community to continue to support the council and by extension, the government, by participating in the exercise and engaging in proper disposal of wastes.
“We have heard your appeal, and I assure you that Lagos government will do something about it.
“Although we have PSP operators in this axis, maybe they were assigned to other areas.
“However, I will ensure something is done and residents will observe the improvement.” the advisor said.
Also, the Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LASMA), Mr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said that waste management was a collective exercise.
Gbadegbesin, therefore, appealed to the residents to always dispose of their wastes properly.
“You must bag your waste at home. Make sure you have a bin to keep the waste for few days, even if there is a delay by the PSP operator.
“Make sure you pay your PSP operator on time because there is no way they can provide that service if you are not paying them regularly.
The Non Governmental Organization (NGO) Go Green Nigeria Foundation, , has called for more stringent government efforts toward prohibition of illegal sand mining in Rivers, following erosion threats.
The founder of NGO Dr John Babington made the call on last Monday in Umuechem, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers, to commemorate the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems.
Babington, who sensitised the community on dangers associated with crude sand mining, donated some trees as part of efforts to promote tree planting and revitalisation of the altered mangrove ecosystem.
During an interactive session with the community, the environmental expert identified various concerns and commended residents for their willingness to work together to end the excavation.
He, however, dismissed the notion that illegal sand mining was due to poverty and unemployment, saying, ”the business is a capital intensive venture that could only be operated by a rich cartel.”
He said that though the business might have provided menial jobs for few youths, it had not in any manner addressed poverty.
Presently, the landscape is altered with an artificial river encroaching a major access road and threatening public safety,” he said.
Also speaking, a senior Chief in the community, Chief Gilbert Otamiri commended the NGO for the initiative and promised to collaborate with them.
Gilbert, however, urged the government to tackle unemployment which, he said, was a major promoter of the illegal excavation
Also speaking, The Community Development Chairman (CDC) Mr Agbam Mgbechi thanked the group for the sensitisation and donation of trees.
He called on the government and concerned induviduals to emulate the group by making efforts towards salvaging the area from further environmental damage.
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