Environment
Dam Controversy: Sudan Expresses Reservations Over Tripartite Meeting
Sudan says it has “reservations” over participation in the Tripartite Ministerial meeting involving Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia on filling and operation of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) being built on the Blue Nile.
In a statement, the state-owned Sudan News Agency quoted the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources as saying that based on the outcome of the virtual Tripartite Ministerial Meeting held yesterday Sudan submitted a request to hold a bilateral meeting with the African Union (AU) experts and observers on the same day, but it did not receive a response. Instead, it received an invitation to resume the direct tripartite negotiations.
“This prompted Sudan to announce its reservation over the participation, confirming its firm position on the necessity of giving greater role to the African Union experts to facilitate negotiations,” the ministry stressed.
The statement underlined that the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources has affirmed its adherence to the AU-sponsored negotiation process according to the principle of African solutions to African problems.
Ethiopia on its part said the virtual tripartite meeting saw the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of Water Affairs of Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan exchange views on the continuation of their negotiations.
The state-owned Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) quoted a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying, these negotiations focus on a draft document presented by the experts assigned by the Chairperson of the African Union (AU).
The meeting was convened by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa and Chairperson of the AU Executive Council. It was also attended by observers and AU assigned experts.
ENA said Ethiopia voiced its “positive outlook” of the draft document and expressed its willingness to use it as a single working document for the trilateral negotiation.
Similarly, it said, Sudan conveyed the importance of the document for the progress of the negotiation and its willingness to proceed with the negotiation with a defined role of the AU experts. Egypt categorically rejected the document, it added.
According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, most of the issues on the first filling and annual operation of the GERD have been agreed on.
The main difference lies on the co-relation between the GERD Guidelines and Rules and the future water development projects on the Abay Basin, it said.
“The GERD is a non-consumptive hydroelectric generating dam. Any agreement over the dam, which is being negotiated in the absence of a comprehensive water treaty and the prevalence of an unjust status quo, shall be considerate of these fundamental factors. Ethiopia will not agree to a GERD deal that will in any way restrict its right to use the Nile waters,” the statement stated.
Ethiopia said it has forwarded alternative approaches to Egypt and Sudan, which is hoped to garner their affirmative response.
Tensions among the three countries over the dam began to rise after Ethiopia announced last year that it had started filling the reservoir.
Ethiopia has said the dam is essential for its development, while Egypt and Sudan worry about access to vital water supplies from the Nile.
According to a brief by the European Parliament, successive negotiation rounds between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt about the filling and operation of the GERD have ended in stalemate.
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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