Category: Special Report

• Why the odds favour Akpabio, Jibrin

There is excitement in the air over who takes the chair as Senate President on Tuesday during the inauguration of the 10th Senate. On that day, the new president officers will replace outgoing current Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege – whose tenures elapse today.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which secured 59 Senators-elect during the February 25th National Assembly election is expected to dominate the 10th Senate by producing its two top most leaders.

Many lawmakers on the platform of the party had declared interest in the top job. They include Senators Godswill Akpabio (South-South), Sani Musa (North-Central), Ali Ndume (Northeast), Orji Uzor Kalu (Southeast), Osita Izunaso (Southeast), Barau Jibrin (Northwest) and ex-Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’Aziz Yari (Northwest).

For any of the aspirants to win after being duly nominated and seconded on the floor during the inaugural session on Tuesday, he needs the votes of a simple majority of two-thirds of Senators-elect who must be present before such an election can be conducted by the Clerk to the National Assembly.

But should there be a division, that is, if there is more than one nomination for a particular office, the candidates need at least 55 votes of the 109 senators-elect to be declared the winner. This is where the votes of senators-elect of the opposition parties that would comprise the 10th Senate become crucial. At the moment, APC has 59 senators-elect, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – 36, Labour Party (LP) – eight, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) – two, Social Democratic Party (SDP) – two, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) – one and Young Progressives Party (YPP) – one. In all, while the ruling APC has 59 members, the opposition parties have a combined strength of 50.

How will APC, PDP, NNPP, LP, APGA, YPP vote?

In the event that the APC’s preferred candidates do not emerge unopposed as is likely to be the case, majority of the party’s lawmakers in the upper chamber will vote for Akpabio and Jibrin. A few will vote for Yari, Kalu or Izunaso. However, the candidature of the Zamfara senator is most probable with Kalu and Izunaso either stepping down or any other vying for the position of deputy. 

APGA and SDP will most likely vote for Akpabio while the former Akwa Ibom governor and whoever contests against him would share the votes of PDP and LP.  NNPP may vote for either Yari or any candidate that contests against Akpabio going by the utterances of the party’s Senator-elect, Kawu Samaila (Kano South) who insists that the legislators be allowed to independently choose their leader without any form of imposition by the ruling APC.

However, this position may be tentative given positive talks between the National Leader of NNPP, Senator Musa Kwankwaso and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Kwankwaso would be sure to rein in the party’s two Senators-elect to the benefit of Akpabio after he indicated he was likely to be part of the new administration. 

Checks revealed that Akpabio would get the votes of three PDP Senators-elect from Rivers State due to the influence of former Governor Nyesom Wike who has vowed his support for the President. However majority of PDP senators-elect are believed to have pledged their support for Yari. Prominent among them is Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi State who is chairman of the Media and Publicity sub-committee of the Yari Campaign Organization.

PDP Senator-elect Dr. Samaila Dahuwa Kaila (Bauchi North) and Olubiyi Fadeyi from Osun State support Yari. APC Senator-elect Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo) is the director general of his campaign council while Senator Elisha Abbo is believed is to be playing a prominent role in the team.

On the other hand, Senator Ali Ndume is leading the Akpabio campaign with support from Senators Solomon Adeola (Ogun) and Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti) plying key roles.

Adding to the intrigues is the fact that a presiding officer in the outgoing 9th Senate is believed to be covertly supporting Yari. Besides, Senator Sani Musa is also believed to be in support of Yari with the hope that his emergence would brighten his chances to be nominated and voted for as Deputy Senate President rather than the choice of the party Jibrin.  Also, LP Senator-elect Ireti Kingibe is believed to be in support of Akpabio as sources says she has been a regular face at nocturnal strategy sessions held by the Stability Group promoting Akpabio’s candidacy.

Besides, no fewer than 25 state governors have thrown their weight behind Akpabio and Jibrin’s candidature. It was learnt that the governors are seriously mobilising Senators-elect across APC, PDP and LP for the former Akwa Ibom helmsman. The 25 pro-Akpabio governors include those of Kwara, Nasarawa, Benue, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, Ekiti, Kogi, Rivers, Cross River, Kaduna, Borno, Ebonyi and Ondo States.

Senators-elect from the 25 states are expected to vote en-bloc for Akpabio in the event of a division. APC-controlled states have consistently maintained that they would faithfully uphold the unanimous zoning decision of the National Working Committee of the party.

National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Debo Ologunagba, while giving an indication of how the party’s lawmakers would vote alongside other opposition parties said: “With regard to the current race for the Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, it is instructive to note that the opposition parties put together to form a strong majority in the National Assembly and we are very mindful of that.

“The PDP leadership is working together with our members-elect and opposition parties in the two chambers. Irrespective of the ongoing claims in the media, I want to inform you that the PDP has a clear direction which we hold close to our chest.

“Our members are united in that direction and it will show on the floor of both Houses of the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. In all, we do not discountenance the fact that the opposition parties have the majority in the National Assembly which we are ready to deploy maximally.”

APC zoning of Presiding Officers

The National Working Committee of APC led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, had in May 2023 zoned the office of Senate President to the South-South geopolitical zone and endorsed Akpabio as its candidate. Similarly, it ceded the post of Deputy Senate President to the Northwest zone and announced Jibrin from Kano North as its preferred candidate. Senators Kalu, Izunaso and ex-governor Yari rejected the position of the party and vowed to contest against the consensus pick.

Some of the leading contenders in the house have stepped down following appeals by President Tinubu. Those contending against the choice of the party are also expected to follow suit even though some of them are currently stirring things up by denigrating the directives of the party under whose platform they got tickets to contest the general elections.

However, the will of the party will prevail at the end of the day as no individual can be greater than the party. One source pointed out that the party remained supreme. According to him, no individual can fight a sitting government. He said APC’s NWC zoned the position in view of the body language of the President who is said to be in support of Akpabio to give Christians a prominent role in his administration. Besides, the appointment of Secretary to the Government of Federation, George Akume, a Catholic from Benue State was done to accommodate the North-Central geo-political zone in particular and Christians in general.

Besides, the choice of Benjamin Kalu for the position of Deputy Speaker would negatively vitiate the chances of either Kalu or Izunaso emerging Senate President or Deputy Senate President. On the other hand, being a Muslim, Yari’s emergence as Senate President, analysts say, would further enrage the Christian faith who would see it a total Islamisation of the leadership of the country since the President, Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC’s preferred choice for the position of Speaker, Tajudeen Abass, are all Muslims.  

Intervention by Tinubu

Not known to be ambivalent or leave things to chance, Tinubu has been engaging in talks with critical stakeholders including Senators-elect of the APC and all other opposition lawmakers to support his administration to succeed. Part of the backing being sought for includes the election of capable leadership in the 10th National Assembly to bring about a seamless and rancor free relationship that would result in the realization and delivery of his Renewed Hope Agenda. Sources close to the President say he is working to actualise that zoning arrangement of the APC for the 10th national Assembly leadership position. In the last week, he met with APC governors, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), APC Senators and Members-elect and all Senators and Members-Elect for the 10th National Assembly.

The President was said to have appealed to lawmakers-elect to respect the zoning arrangement of the party. Following the plea, some frontline contenders for the position of Speaker in the incoming House of Representatives were said to have agreed in principle to shelve their ambitions in deference to him thereby giving the preferred candidate of the APC for Speaker, Abass Tajudeen (Kaduna) a comfortable leading edge.

However, the race in the Senate is still tight as Yari, Kalu and Izunaso are adamant they would square up against Akpabio – APC’s choice. That notwithstanding, Tinubu is believed to be unrelenting in his quest and would very likely realize his wish to have the preferred choice of the APC emerge leaders of the 10th National Assembly.

Who has the upper hand right now?

Akpabio and Yari camps keep brandishing figures of supporters that do not add up when put together. The Director General of the Akpabio campaign organization, Ndume, has consistently claimed that the Stability Group has 77 members supporting its candidate. On the other hand, the chairman of media subcommittee of the Yari campaign team said 67 senators-elect have signed up so far. Seventy-seven added to 77 gives 144 which is 35 members higher than the nation’s 109 Senators-elect.

However 71 Senators-elect believed to be members of the Stability Group had signed an advertorial published in national dailies on 31st May 2023, to congratulate President Tinubu on his inauguration and assumption of office if that could be taken as an indication of the support strength of Akpabio’s team. Notwithstanding the hype in number of supporters by aspirants, Akpabio has been tipped by political pundits to emerge winner alongside Barau Jibrin as Deputy on inauguration day in view of support from the President, APC and majority of its Senators-elect as well as lawmakers-elect from opposition parties. 

There is the possibility that there will be more than one nomination for the positions at stake. This is largely due to the insistence by Yari, Kalu and Izunaso to challenge the preferred candidates of the APC during the election.

At the moment, the aspirants are upbeat and are presently wrapping up consultations and intensely lobbying for support across political party divides. But inauguration day will reveal the Senate President and Deputy Senate President as well as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly.

By continually its upskilling its workforce and upgrading its facilities, the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, is fully poised to help the state and the country as a whole to overcome the medical brain drain challenge. This was declared by the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, during the hospital’s quarterly media parley in Lagos to intimate the citizens on its medical infrastructure projects and unique healthcare services available to the public.

While enthusing that the teaching hospital has addressed its brain drain crisis, the CMD noted that the institution, recognising that the brain drain crisis affects nurses and junior doctors more than other categories of healthcare workers, has worked around the challenge and bridged the gap through a well-designed Exit Replacement Strategy that has made it possible for the recruitment of 165 staff. With the exit replacement strategy, the hospital has been able to rise above the challenge and maintaining its quality and effective healthcare services, he boasted.

 “Usually, there are two categories of staff that relocate abroad. The nurses form the larger percentage of people, who emigrate, followed by junior doctors. As soon as our staff leave, we replace them immediately to ensure there is no gap in healthcare delivery, especially as we are known for setting high standards with the upgrade of our state-of-the-art facilities for optimum care,” he said.

Another plank LASUTH has used to address its medical brain drain crisis is in the area of infrastructure renewal, facility upgrade and provision of unique healthcare services available to the public. According to Fabamwo, the apex hospital has witnessed an impressive medical infrastructural transformation in recent years, especially years, especially several modern medical infrastructural projects that d recently completed and inaugurated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. “The new multipurpose medical building, which comprises four medical schools in the areas of anaesthesia technology, echocardiograph, orthopaedic cast technology and postgraduate nursing, also houses the Family Medicine Department, Dietetics Department, Managed Care Unit, Immunisation Clinic, Private Wards, Super Executive Private Wards, 20-bed Intensive Care Unit, a spa and a gym, amongst others,” he said.

 He said the building adds to existing facilities to accommodate the overwhelming population seeking healthcare. Fabamwo pointed out that upgrade of diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, as well as the bronchoscopy suite, cardiac catheterisation laboratory and endoscopic suite, whose services are economically affordable, would serve patients better across Lagos. He said the hospital was looking forward to completing the paediatric sickle cell centre that would accommodate specialists taking care of children with sickle cell disorder and a radiotherapy unit to cater for cancer patients. The CMD sought public-private partnership to improve healthcare in the state, adding that no government globally could adequately fund healthcare. He appealed to Nigerians to embrace health insurance schemes to lessen bills.

 “Citizens should embrace the healthcare insurance module so that their out-of-pocket expenses would be significantly reduced, as they don’t have to beg people to offset their medical bills. People continue to come here because they have the care they need, but of the care we give, part of it is supplied by vendors and contractors, who we have to pay. The consumables are paid for, so using it to treat a patient, who ends up not paying for it, we may end up as a hospital that cannot provide care and we don’t want that,” Fabamwo said.  

Read Also: ‘LASUTH infrastructure will enhance healthcare delivery’

Having a fellow feeling is one of the qualities that encourage one to make an option for the poor. One should not be extensively rich before one reaches out to others that one is better off than. NICHOLAS KALU reports that Florence Agogo, the National Vice-President of the Law Students’ Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN), is among those who seek out ways to help the poor through her outreach programmes

The concept of charity is said to be the highest form of affection. It signifies the give-and-take relationship that exists between God and man that is made manifest in unselfish love for one’s fellow humankind. Some authorities have described charity as a virtue.

 But, what is an act of charity for the poor? It is a humanitarian act. It involves giving money, goods or time and effort to those who need them. It is done without expecting something in return. Giving money or food to poor people is an example of charity. Ultimately, it means dying in order to make others live.

A charitable organisation or activity helps and supports people who are ill or very poor, or who have a disability. This is so because “acts of kindness can make the world a happier place for everyone.” This could have informed some individuals and organisations to make an option for the poor. One such individual is Florence Agogo, the National Vice-President of the Law Students’ Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN), who derives pleasure in lifting the poorest of the poor in Nigeria.

She confessed that “the various humanitarian gestures I carry out are due to the joy I derive from the happiness of others.” This indicates that, for her, doing well is most essential as it enables her to render a helping hand to the hoi polloi. The energetic Agogo believes the world would be a better place if everyone is concerned with the happiness of others. She considers it incumbent that any rich person surrounded by many underprivileged individuals is poor.

To demonstrate her commitment to helping the poor, she has embarked on some humanitarian work. Such charity works include consistent payment of tuition fees for indigent students and provision of foodstuff for widows and the aged, among other humanitarian activities. Agogo, who recently facilitated community development services, said: “I derive joy and happiness from helping others. When others are happy, I feel overjoyed. This is so because many people are experiencing so much hardship. A lot of students cannot afford their school fees because their parents are a financial impediment.

“A lot of people cannot even feed themselves. By the privilege of God, I am in a more advantaged position. So, I intend to see how I can use my advantage and resources to help other people,” she said.

 She recently carried out an outreach tagged “We Thought of You,” which featured visitations to the Infant Jesus Orphanage Home, the Pope John Paul II Good Samaritan Home for the poor, aged and needy, General Hospital and street children, all in Calabar, the Cross River State capital. According to her, the gesture was targeted at brightening the faces of those who are weighed down by the vicissitudes of life. Some of the items donated to the homes are bags of rice, cartons of noodles, cartons of detergents, packets of salt and toiletries, among others.

 Also, the hospital bills of some patients at the Calabar General Hospital who could not afford them were defrayed by this wonderful philanthropist. She announced the unwavering enthusiasm and unending resolve of the Senator Yasir Abubakar-led LAWSAN administration to continue to improve the standard of the progressive association. “The government needs to enlarge their network of representatives in each of the states and local governments because it seems that even though they are trying, it ends at a certain level because most of these people they send as representatives, we do not see them.

 “So, I appeal to the conscience of our President, Vice-President and all those who are government officials to try and send people who would go down to the grassroots level, to the universities. This is so because the university community is where you find the youth. Go to secondary schools and engage them to know where they feel hurt or where they find things difficult.

 “The government should try and get the youth engaged. By so doing, they would not have time for prostitution or other vices. They engage in these vices because they are idle most of the time. The government should expand its network to reach the real people who are in need of help. They should also monitor the people they send to us as youths and ensure what they are sending to us is actually getting to us,” she said.

 Among other things, she urged the youth to believe in themselves and take care of their lives by being bold and daring. “In life, everything begins with taking a decision. If you take the decision that this is what you want, nothing can stop you from being such. Be bold, be intentional. I advise everyone who is aspiring to be in this position sometime later in life to be bold. Not everyone would accept or support that, but you should do what you want to do at the time.

 “You should believe in yourself, believe in God and believe that not even the sky is your limit but your starting point; then you can achieve anything. So, I would encourage anyone that wants to do anything to go ahead. Don’t be shy or scared but be bold and resolute. Life is not easy, but I believe that if you are able to draw closer to God and to people who have made a mark already, to be mentored by people who are already up there, I believe that it would shape your life and reasoning.

 “Instead of engaging in prostitution or trying to make it quickly or trying to be the big girl or the big boy, it is better to get business and seek advice from people who are already doing well. There is always something you can do. Rather than embarrass yourself or cut short yourself, defile your emotions and scatter your own life by yourself. Depression and other negative emotions could manifest later in life because you are engaged in things you are not even happy about. I feel there is always a way out. Start a business and seek help where necessary.”

 On why she established the outreach, Agoro stated that the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted negatively many Nigerians. She also said that in the midst of such a situation, most businesses closed down and many Nigerians lost their jobs. That was why I set up the outreach to help those who are somewhat helpless. “The 2020 pandemic was what informed the establishment of my outreach and ever since it has continued. I believe that in future, I would engage more people to join because I feel that I cannot do this alone. If I had more hands, it would have been a broader network,” she said.

Read Also: LAWSAN VP tasks Nigerians to vote competent leaders

Recreation and relaxation are said to be essential for a balanced life. But how many people take time off to refresh? OYEBOLA OWOLABI highlights some state-owned dual-purpose recreation parks that are cheap to access.

Mindful of the fact that practising relaxation is vital to managing stress, having in mind that recreation centres help individuals to have a calmer and clearer mind which aids positive thinking, concentration, memory and decision making, and with the understanding that relaxation slows people’s heart rate, reduces their blood pressure and relieves tension, the Lagos State government established the Lagos State Parks and Garden Agency (LASPARK) in 2011 to ensure that residents have unhindered access to recreational facilities that would help increase their efficiency and effectiveness.

The agency is guided by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law (2017). Its mandate is to promote the beautification of the state’s environment and provide recreation facilities for residents.

 But beyond beautification and recreation, the functions of LASPARK are tailored towards enhancing the totality of life of residents, according to General Manager, Mrs. Adetoun Popoola.

 She said: “With recreation, for example, we’re able to help people and communities grow because when people come together, they are able to meet people, network and relax. It also improves the health and wellness of the people.

 “A lot of people in Lagos don’t understand what it means to relax. After a hectic week, the next thing is a party on Saturday or Sunday, and Monday comes soon enough. But, visiting one of our parks helps them to relax because of the calmness and serenity experienced there.

 “It also indirectly reduces crime because if young people are occupied with constructive activities in the parks, they won’t have time to engage in frivolities. There are lots of activities happening in our parks, especially during the holidays, which keep children away from crime and mischief.

 “So, apart from the direct mandate of recreation and beautification, our parks have positive impacts on the people’s health and wellness help to forge social cohesion and reduce crime.”

Accessibility

 LASPARK manages all state-owned parks. Some, however, it manages in partnership with private organisations and groups. Accessing these parks is free during working hours. So, residents are allowed in without harassment. A group of 10 people or less gets free entry, but will be required to pay should the visit turn out to be a picnic.

 Mrs Popoola added: “The parks have free access to the public. However, if you’re a group of 10 and above, automatically, you’re coming there for some sort of small event, so you pay a minimal fee of N500 per child and N1,000 per adult.

  “After the payment, you can be there for as long as you want, or for as long as the park is open. In fact, children are allowed to come in with their play toys. But the larger private/company events are paid for.”

 Popoola also noted that there are different categories of parks with different offerings, especially as the agency is not only focused on the traditional way people perceive what a park should be.

 She said: “A park can be a recreational centre; for instance, the basketball court on the Oworonshoki Expressway has always been there. We, however, worked with a non-governmental organization (NGO) to revamp the space and now it is as busy as it gets, especially at the weekends.

 “There are also gated parks, such as the JJT and Finnih Parks, where there’s something to do. There are also scenic parks and gardens, such as the Peace Park in Ojota, which is more of beautiful landscapes and scenery, where people go to sit, relax, and take beautiful pictures.

“In fact, people book the Peace Park for photo shots, and even some advertising commercials are shot there, which is also another way the agency generates income.

 “The Peace Park is so designed because there’s really no car park space. So, you hardly find events happening there.”

The agency also understands it cannot always be everywhere, and so it partners with private organisations and individuals to manage some of these parks and gardens. The Falomo Roundabout is a good example.

 “We have the ‘adoption’ initiative whereby private organisations or NGOs take care of these parks. We hand over the gardens and spaces to the organisations to maintain at their own costs and only provide guidelines and recommendations for maintenance. Doing this has helped us to achieve more traction with our mandate.

 “Falomo Roundabout, Akin Adesola and Alfred Rewane, all on the Island are some of our spaces managed by private bodies, such as banks. We also partner with outdoor practitioners because they have their billboards in some of our spaces. The Pleasure Park by the abattoir in Agege is managed in partnership with an organisation and they have developed the space to suit their purpose,” she said.

And while it may seem as if the parks are concentrated in just some areas, Popoola is quick to debunk the notion.

 “We have parks in various parts of Lagos. There is the Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island; Rafiu Jafojo Park in Shasha, and there are some in Ikorodu as well.

 “However, establishing parks is subject to the availability of space. We won’t just build a park because we want to; there has to be suitable space, and we have to ensure the park is within a community that would find value in it. The area must also be safe enough. These things must be considered in choosing the location for a park and before seeking necessary approvals to build.

 “There are also plans to have at least one park in every local government area. We know we cannot do this on our own. So, we leverage our relationships and partnerships with various individuals and organisations to build.

“Also, I think people are beginning to get used to having events outdoors, especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic when many event centres were shut. It was a good thing for us because people started noticing the parks more and holding events outdoors.”

 Rafiu Jafojo Park

   The Rafiu Jafojo Park in Shasha in the Alimosho Local Government Area is a good example of a dual-purpose facility. It has a basketball court which doubles as a tech lab during the week with free Wifi access for visitors.

Popoola said: “There is a tech hub in our park in Shasha, in partnership with a private company. The space is an indoor basketball court but people come in during the week with their laptops and enjoy free Wifi access, and a lab for tech projects. These things are ways to encourage young people to be productive as against engaging in destructive activities.”

“The park used to be an open space where youths played football and people learn how to drive. But now, it’s used for events, holiday hangouts, and amusement park for kids,” Isaac, a resident said.

 Abayomi Finnih Park

 Originally established in August 2019, the Abayomi Finnih Park in Oregun was recently reopened after undergoing renovations following the ENDSARS protests. The park boasts a mini-library for children; a sick bay; an aviary; a pond and a silent garden, among others. There is also a mini-bicycle trail for children, and visitors can either rent from the park or come with their bicycles.

 The park is particularly beautiful for picnics, bridal showers, wedding ceremonies and birthday parties as it has changing rooms, and a photo studio, and visitors can come with their own photographers or hire ones in-house.

 While the main park closes at 6pm, adults can continue the show in a private lounge inside the park.

  Peace Park in Ojota

The Peace Park in Ojota is a three-in-one one that is interconnected. The park was established in October last year after the ENDSARS protests to show the peaceful nature of Lagos.

 As Popoola said, Peace Park is a scenic park because its porous nature might make it difficult to hold events there. So, people can only come to take pictures, have shots and enjoy the captivating architectural landscape.

Looking forward

To ensure visitors keep coming back, Popoola said the agency holds special programmes within the parks to give visitors the experience of a lifetime. She promised there would be improvements.

 “We will keep up with our efforts so that people can keep visiting the parks. Last year, we had movie nights, yoga for elderly people, aerobics for the young, creative gardening for children, and a blood donation drive. All these were in partnership with some of our private partners.

 “This year, we’re looking towards the holiday period to have some more fun-filled activities in our parks. We encourage people to visit the parks and hold their events there. We have had weddings in the parks and it’s such a beautiful setting, and cheaper when compared to renting a hall,” she added.

 Reeling off their involvement with our correspondent, some of the visitors to the parks expressed their experiences at the recreational facilities.

 Mrs. Toke Oresanya (pseudonym) enjoys visiting the Abayomi Finnih Recreational Park in Oregun, Ikeja with her family for fun. She also goes alone when she needs time for herself.

 “Using this Lagos State park is always a beautiful experience. It is conducive and cool and the facilities are okay. The space can be used to host whatever occasion. I’ve been here with my family a couple of times; we had fun and took beautiful pictures because the scenery gives pictures beautiful background,” she said.

 While Mrs. Oresanya visits the park mainly for recreation, there are others who use them for work.

 One such is Efe Ighorodje, an Automation Engineer who works remotely. But because working from home might not be too convenient owing to many factors, Ighorodje has chosen the Johnson Jakande Tinubu (JJT) Park in Alausa, Ikeja, as his workspace because the serenity and calmness aid his productivity.

 “The ambience here is okay and I come regularly because of the constant electricity which I need to work with,” he said.

 Peter Udechukwu also takes advantage of the ambience at JJT Park to rejuvenate. He goes to the park to pray and study God’s Word.

 “I come here in my free time to relax and study the Word because the coolness aids my understanding as there is no distraction. It is a good place to rejuvenate after the hustle and bustle,” Udechukwu said.

 Lola, a nurse, visits Ndubuisi Kanu Park at the same Alausa because the environment is conducive to relaxation.

“I enjoy coming here because the environment is conducive to my relaxation and study. The setting is superb. I thought I would have to pay before accessing the park, but I realized that entry is free,” she said.

 Though the parks were established for the purpose of beautification and relaxation, residents have found them useful for other purposes such as work and networking.

How has the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari fared in the environment sector? In this special report, OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE writes that the sector has not recorded much success as many expected largely as a result of lull in activities

Judging from the great lull in the Federal Ministry of Environment, President Mohammadu Buhari would not receive as many accolades as his supporters and aides would have wanted because not much success was recorded in eight years. It was a sector defined largely by lull in activities.

 Right from the beginning, those who manned the ministry seem to have been more interested in getting foreign jobs; instead of revolutionising the sector to make it have a great impact on Nigeria and Nigerians. The Ministry of Environment should have been at the forefront of activities considering the environmental issues that abound in the country where almost every state has one or several environmental issues affecting the people negatively.

If its importance was appreciated as obtainable in other countries in Africa and Europe, many stakeholders believe the ministry wouldn’t be so relegated to the background that the public only hears from it when there is an international convention to be attended. The Nation learnt that Nigeria usually has the largest delegation to these international events. However, many experts wonder why the status quo ante has remained.

 The administration can be credited with pioneering Executive Order 12, which established a National Centre for the Coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanism (2022). However, one peculiar trend in the Ministry of Environment is the way its leadership has changed – in quick succession. In three years, two ministers appointed to head the ministry resigned to take up other jobs they initially fancied.

 Ms Amina Mohammed, currently Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), was the first to be appointed in November 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari. Her leadership lasted only a year. She served in the position until December 2016 when she tendered her resignation to take up her UN job.

The Minister of State of Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, also resigned after he was selected to ascend the throne of Emir of Nasarawa. Jibril’s two-year stint would be remembered, however, for his stand on preserving Nigeria’s natural resources. Buhari also appointed a surveyor, Suleiman Hassan, as the Minister of Environment. Until his appointment, Mr Hassan was the Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

 One event worthy of note during Ms Mohammed’s stint is the battle over the control of the Ecological Fund. A few months after her resignation, Ms Mohammed opposed a bill proposed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, putting the management of the Fund under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. She demanded that it should be placed under her ministry.

 The Ecological Fund, currently managed by the Presidency, is an intervention facility set aside to tackle the multifarious ecological problems ravaging communities across the country. Such problems include soil erosion, drought, desertification, oil spillage, pollution, general environmental pollution, storm, tornadoes, bushfire, large-scale livestock and crop epidemic, crop pest, landslide and earthquakes which are mainly the environmental challenges the country is facing normally should fall under the purview of the environment ministry.

 Presidency insiders had said the standoff among the officials stalled the processes for the creation of the Ecological Fund Authority, which would have provided a major solution to some of the environmental hazards in the country. The Director-General of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), Dr Joseph Onaja, told The Nation that Ecological Funds have not been used for what they are meant. He said: “The fund has not been used to address the real ecological issues. If it has been used well, we would have seen more investments in areas of environmental conservation because the fund was set up in the first place to do that. Unfortunately, some governors use it as part of their security votes. The fund is usually used for different purposes apart from addressing ecological issues.” Here are some key policy initiatives of the ministry and how they succeeded or failed:

Clean up exercises

and failures

Clean up of Ogoni Land: Ogoni area in Rivers State has, over the years, been destroyed by oil leaks, leading to the destruction of surrounding waters and farmlands. A UNEP report, after a scientific study, recommended a total clean-up of the environment. Shortly after his assumption of office in 2015, President Buhari launched the clean-up exercise. The Ogoni Project was to be carried out by the Ministry of Environment and development partners. Specimens were said to have been taken for analysis.

 Ogoni Trust Fund was set up and it turned out to be a success story. About $180 million was mobilised from oil companies for the clean-up.  United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in its report, had recommended that funds for the clean-up be largely provided by the oil firms who extracted oil from the communities, especially Shell.

 Despite official claims and funds raised, the clean-up exercise did not start until three years. Hundreds of activists and civil society organisations (CSOs) barricaded the Abuja head office of the Ministry of Environment in Abuja over delays in the commencement of the oil spill clean-up. It was only when Mr Jibril was about to leave office as the Environment Minister that he announced that the clean-up was finally set to start.

Ending open defecation, indiscriminate waste disposal

The ministry, as well as waste management authorities, made plans of turning waste into wealth through an Integrated Waste Management System. Also, there were plans to end open defecation. The ministry designed a waste management framework. A few states were identified to pilot test the scheme with one waste recycling plant each in an agreement entered into with the states and investors on a public-private partnership arrangement. The Federal Government provided N250 million to the pilot states to kick-start the project. The government approved and developed a national policy for the declaration of national emergency in open defecation.

 Indiscriminate dumping of refuse has gone unchecked, leading to an increase in illegal dump sites across the country. Besides Lagos, which operates a form of waste recycling that is mostly managed by private firms, no other state has a waste recycling system yet in spite of laid-down plans. Reports suggest that Nigeria uses the least preferred waste management option – disposal in open dumpsites that are often set on fire, causing air pollution.

 Open defecation, which, according to experts, usually provokes the outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery, has also gone unchecked. Eyesores have increasingly become a common sight even in urban areas across the country. Nigeria is currently the country with the largest number of people that defecate in the open in Africa and the second largest globally after India.

 To address concerns of climate change and Natural disasters, environmental matters were to be added to the concurrent list so as to prioritise tackling disasters such as drought and desertification, biodiversity loss, deforestation, land degradation, flood and erosion, pollution, sanitation and waste management.

 A bill to provide a legal framework for mainstreaming climate change responses and actions into government policy was passed. That was a feat. Nigeria became the 146th country to endorse the Paris Climate Change Agreement. It partnered with other Lake Chad Basin countries to address the challenges of drying up of the lake which poses adverse consequences on the people and the ecosystem.

Also, it carried out a comprehensive national survey of ecological zone variations, scope and severity of soil erosion and flood control sites across the country. The survey updated the Federal Government’s data bank on ecological problems.

 However, desertification appears to have worsened despite plans and funds put in place. An estimate of between 50 per cent and 75 per cent of 11 Northern states are affected by desertification and are particularly vulnerable to wind erosion in 2018, according to researchers. Many critics believe that was a failure on the path of this administration.

Analysts also noted that environmental matters are yet to be added to the concurrent list as the challenge worsens. Flooding is still a major challenge because of the improper handling of waste by several state governments and the public at large. Last year, several states were hit by flooding with scores of lives lost. Houses were submerged with properties worth millions destroyed and many displaced.

Little was done to tackle pollution, especially the emission of greenhouse gases as the country now has the highest burden of fatalities from air pollution in Africa and 4th globally. A 2018 report found over 2,800 active erosion sites in the Southeast of Nigeria.

Other unfulfilled promises

To ensure that the environment sector becomes a major revenue earner for the country, it was hoped that the ministry and states would establish a reliable electronic-based data bank on Pollution Control and Waste Management issues in the country. This was geared towards formulating policies that will regulate the environment sector as well as implement programmes and projects that will conserve and preserve the nation’s natural resources.

 As an achievement, Nigeria, under the ministry, formally joined the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI), a coalition of African countries dedicated to the sustainable conservation of elephants and ending the ivory trade. The National Council on Environment (NCE), under the Ministry of Environment, recommended a ban on the exportation of charcoal in Nigeria. Also, the ministry resolved to domesticate Minamata Convention on Mercury and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) ratified by Nigeria. The ministry also flagged off a Climate Change Knowledge Immersion Workshop in Ogun State.

 Sadly, Nigeria is yet to establish an electronic-based data bank on Pollution Control and Waste Management issues in the country. No strong policy yet to tackle either refuse dumps or the construction of illegal structures blocking waterways across the country

Intervention in

recent flood victims

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Nasir Gwarzo, during a meeting with relevant stakeholders in the humanitarian services in Abuja, said over 13,000 Nigerians benefited from its various flood relief interventions across the affected states in the country. The Nation reports that the stakeholders include the Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS), World Food Programme (WFP) and the ECOWAS Commission.

 “A total of 13,000 victims benefited from flood relief interventions across 16 states affected by the 2020 flood disaster in the country. These states are Anambra, Bayelsa, Katsina, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, Bauchi, Delta, Rivers, Adamawa and Yobe. This is in addition to the implementation of stabilisation fund project in six local government areas in North-East and North-West where 27, 432 persons benefited,” Gwarzo said.

 He expressed the commitment of the Federal Government towards providing the needed support for the vulnerable people in the country. “Food, shelter, households, water sanitation as well as cash were provided across the 16 flood-affected states,” he said. Gwarzo said that impact of the flood disaster necessitated collaboration with relevant humanitarian agencies to support government response towards providing succour to the victims.

According to him, the 2020 flood disaster has resulted in the loss of lives and livelihoods of Nigerians across the country. “The socio-economic impact of the 2020 flood was very devastating. It resulted in the loss of lives and livelihoods in communities across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. The persistent conflict concomitant with the frequent insurgents’ attacks also resulted in the displacement of hundreds of people,” he said. He, therefore, commended the various national and international NGOs as well as other government agencies for their support in providing succour to Nigerians in times of need.