Environment

Climate Change: Senate Seeks Broader Action To Tackle Gas Emission

Published

3 years ago

October 3, 2022

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, last Tuesday called for broader action to reduce gas emission, being one of the major pollutants contributing to climate change in Nigeria.
Lawan made the call at the opening of a two-day National Green Summit on climate change organised by the Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate Change in Port Harcourt.
The theme of the event is “Collective Action for Gas Emission Reduction and Climate Change Mitigation in Nigeria: A Call to Action.”
Represented by Sen. Frank Ibezim, Imo North Senatorial District, Lawan said the Federal Government was fully focused on tackling climate change head-on, and as such, had set its zero emissions target by 2060.
“So, I am pleased to be part of this summit organised as an interactive platform for stakeholders in the private and public sectors, to engage on the critical issue of climate change.
“The interaction is coming at a time of increasing need for greater attention to questions about our environment, the importance of gas and the need to develop a carbon market framework.
“The development of a framework is part of a continuing quest to harness the benefits of nature to improve living standards,” he said.
Lawan said the summit would also discuss and proffer solutions on how to reduce greenhouse gas emission in line with the National Determined Contributions.
According to him, the summit will also look into the inclusion of the United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the National Environmental Policy (NEC), and the Paris Rulebook from COP 26.
“Examining possibilities from these efforts is helpful to growing our scope of actions; trusting in our collective ability to expand our understanding and charting new frontiers towards initiating new or more policy frameworks.
“The summit will subject issues to further technical scrutiny, before a possible recourse to the legislature either to enhance the Climate Change Act or to imagine future regulatory mechanisms.
“These endeavours amount to prioritising consultations, involvements and inclusions in both climate change governance and matters that have short, medium and long-term implications for the people and society,” he added.
The senate president said the legislature was looking forward to receiving and deliberating on resolutions adopted at the two-day summit, to chart a better climate change framework.
On his part, Sen. Lawal Anka, Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, said that Nigeria was currently ranked among the 10 highest gas emitting countries in the world.
He said the country had been hard-hit by climate change as witnessed in the rapidly drying of the Lake Chad Basin as well as the climate-induced conflicts in the country.
“So, this summit will harness ideas on possible legislative interventions, to ensure that Nigeria meets her commitments under the Paris agreement on gas emission reduction.
“We have assembled eminent scholars and practitioners, captains of relevant industries, relevant agencies of government, civil society groups, and other stakeholders to brainstorm on the various sub-themes of the summit,” he said. (NAN)

Environment

Lagos State Government Refuted Resumed Monthly Sanitation

Published

5 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

5 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

5 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.