BEVERLY HILLS, February 02, (THEWILL) – Efforts by the Federal Government to kick-start the clean-up and environmental restoration of Ogoniland may have suffered a major setback due to internal issues, seven months after the presidential directive.
President Muhammadu Buhari had given approval to the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programmes (UNEP) report, in August 2015, which was widely applauded.
Speaking at the interactive session with the House Committee on Climate Change, chaired by Sam Onuigbo (PDP-Abia), at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, Amina Ibrahim, Minister of Environment, said there were internal issues impeding the report.
Ibrahim, who spoke on the activities lined up by the Federal Government on Climate Change, did not give details on the ‘internal issues’, but, however restated government’s commitment toward carrying out the presidential directive.
“On the domestic issues that we have, we are attempting to follow Mr. President’s instruction to launch the clean-up of Ogoniland but there are many domestic challenges that we have in order to start that,” she said
“We would like to start by March but we have internal issues. I think, we should be careful to manage expectations of setting targets and measures.”
Some of the targets rolled out include: ending gas flaring by year 2030; achieving off-grid of 13,000 megawatts and improving access to electricity; 2% energy efficiency by 2030; shifting from cars to mass transit and reducing deforestation.
She also reiterated the commitment of the present administration through various key ministries, towards addressing the climate change challenges.
On her part, Zainab Ahmed, Minister of State for Budget & National Planning, stressed the need for inclusion of climate change concerns into national development planning process.
This, according to her, involves the integrated mitigation and adaptation process to climate change into the 2016 successor short, medium and long-term plans at all tiers of government.
“We recommend the inclusion of mainstream climate change into the 2016 development plan for proper coordination and budgetary financing,” the Minister added.
According to her, the fund will be targeted at developing the country’s climate change profile, roadmap of organizations and stakeholders, training modules, capacity building and monitoring and evaluation framework.
“Some of these mitigation strategies that can be used include cleaner production technologies in industry, using fossil fuels more efficiently, switching to renewable energy and improving insulation of buildings.”
Ahmed also pointed out that benefits of mainstreaming climate change to national development plans include the reduction of violence such as conflicts between herdsmen and farmers.
“Reduction of potential threats to livelihood like pollution in the Niger Delta, erosion and flooding in the South West and East, and deforestation in the North and above all improved GDP contribution from different sectors of the economy,” she said.
Story by David Oputah
