Environment
Nigeria Highest In Deforestation Rate – NEWMAP Boss
The National Coordinator, Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), Mr Salisu Dahiru, has said that Nigeria ranks the highest with deforestation rate in the world.
Dahiru said this on Tuesday in Benin, while delivering a lecture, entitled “managing land degradation in Nigeria: the challenges, action and remediation,” at the 10th Environmental Outreach Magazine public lecture and environmental awards.
According to him, “24 billion tons of fertile soil are lost every year globally. Also, 7.3 million of hectares of forest are lost yearly globally.
“Nigeria is said to be one of the countries with the highest deforestation rate in the world with about 450,000 to 600,000 hectares of forest lost annually.”
He identified population pressure, deforestation, bush burning, overgrazing, agricultural depletion of soil nutrients through poor farming, inappropriate irrigation and indiscriminate mining as some the causes of land degradation in Nigeria.
Dahiru said that NEWMAP had succeeded in reclaiming some land lost to degradation.
He said that inconsistency in policies, inadequate budgetary and unhealthy rivalvary between environmental agencies adversely affected management of degradation and deforestation in the country.
He said that addressing the challenge required political will in terms of funding, policy execution and stakeholders cooperation.
Earlier, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, the Vice Chancellor, Igbinedion University, Benin and President, Nigeria Environmental Society, regretted that the Institute of Environmental Practitioners Management Bill, sponsored by the society, had yet to receive the president’s assent.
He said that the bill would help to ensure that the Nigerian environment was adequately protected, in line with global best practices.
He said that it would further give room for experts and competent hands to manage the Nigerian environment.
The Tide source reports that Media Trust reporter, Mrs Chidima Okeke, won the 2019 Environmental Outreach Magazine Media Excellence Award.
Okeke was recognised for her stewardship, commitment and leadership in environmental issues in her reportage.
37 others, including Mr Frankland Briyai, the Cross River Resident Electoral Commissioner, and Ezemonye received leadership awards.
Responding on behalf of the awardees, Briyai said that the award would spur them to do more in ensuring that the environment was protected and not degraded by human activities.
He said, “as REC in Cross River, I have ensured that grasses are planted and that drainages are built in all INEC offices in the state to check erosion.”
Presenting the awards, Chief Noble Akenge, the Publisher of Environmental Outreach Magazine, said the award was in recognition of the awardees’ contributions towards improving the environment.
He said the public lecture was designed to bring together stakeholders in environment toward finding lasting solution to the environmental challenges in Nigeria.
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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