The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Green

  • Fed Govt targets $2.5b opportunities in green economy     

    Fed Govt targets $2.5b opportunities in green economy     

    Federal Government is targeting $2.5 billion opportunities in Green Economy, it was learnt.

    Vice President Kashim Shettima will, today, in Abuja inaugurate the committee directed by President Bola Tinubu to develop the Carbon Market Activation Plan.

     The committee will guide development of a National Carbon Market Activation Plan to accelerate green growth and energy transition

    The Federal Government, supported by Africa Carbon Market Initiative (ACMI), will work towards implementation of a co-created blueprint at positioning Nigeria with requisite frameworks and policies to drive a sustainable carbon market ecosystem with $2.5 billion.

    Tinubu had announced creation of the committee at COP28 in December, and appointed Executive Chairman o   f Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, and Director-General of National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Dahiru Salisu, as co-chair.

    The duo will be joined by representatives from ministries and departments as part of National Carbon Market Activation Plan Committee.

    Members are to offer a roadmap for making Nigeria an attractive hub for investors by focusing on driving investments in innovative, green and sustainable initiatives across sectors.

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    The current Electric Buses Rollout Programme is an example of how government is committed to using carbon markets to finance development.

    Speaking at COP28, President Tinubu said: “This initiative stands as a testament to our dedication to environmental stewardship as clearly exemplified through our collaboration with the Africa Carbon Market Initiative. Our visionary plan is a strategic guidepost, directing Nigeria towards becoming an investment-friendly destination for carbon market investments.”

    Adedeji, Co-Chair of the National Carbon Market Activation Plan, said: “In the immediate term, Nigeria will proudly unveil a series of innovative, clean, modern, and sustainable initiatives across diverse sectors.

    “These initiatives are strategically designed to not only address climate change-related challenges but also to position Nigeria as an attractive destination for global investments.”

  • Wanted: legislative framework for green jobs

    Wanted: legislative framework for green jobs

    President of the International Law Association (ILA), Nigerian Branch and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Damilola  Olawuyi is a globally acclaimed professor of Energy and Environmental Law. He chairs the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Business and Human Rights.  A Harvard and Oxford-trained scholar, Prof. Olawuyi has practised and taught international law in Africa, North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. He is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic, Research and International Partnerships) at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti. In this interview with ADEBISI ONANUGA, he spoke on legislative frameworks needed to advance creation of green jobs and need to reset Nigeria’s foreign policy agenda.

    How can you assess Nigeria’s readiness to achieve the SDGs?

    In 2015, Nigeria joined other countries of the world to commit to the attainment of the UNSDGs by the year 2030. The 17 SDGs reflect global aspirations to end hunger and poverty, and accelerate progress on energy security, health, education, gender equality, economic growth, conservation of water, biodiversity, natural resources, and tackling climate change amongst others. This is 2024, so we have exactly six years left to achieve all of these important targets and goals. While it may be difficult to make the same level of progress across all the SDGs, we need to focus on our core strengths and advance them well to globally competitive standards.

    How can they be integrated into the key economic sectors?

     It is about the proverbial ‘using one stone to aim for many birds.’ For example, rather than focusing on creating new jobs, we should instead aim to create more “green jobs.” This includes jobs relating to waste recovery and recycling, water conservation, green transportation, biodiversity, eco-entrepreneurship and environmental research and technology development, among others. 

    What is your assessment of the progress made so far in securing inflow of foreign direct investment? 

    The Tinubu administration took office with a vow to put international diplomacy at the centre of our development strategy. Most especially securing foreign deals and investments that will deliver rapid economic development, employment, and infrastructure financing needed to lift our people out of poverty. There have indeed been positive signs of such increased global engagements, with Nigeria playing key roles in landmark international summits such as the UN General Assembly in New York, and the most recent COP-28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 

    How can Nigeria attain a robust foreign policy agenda?

    Last year was generally a slow and underwhelming start in terms of clear and discernible foreign policy agenda. Early blunders such as the outrage and backlash that trailed the rushed recall of Nigerian Ambassadors is a preventable embarrassment for a country of Nigeria’s stature. Furthermore, more than six months after taking office, many of our diplomatic missions have no clear leadership structure in place, while uncertainties also surround our representation in UN bodies.This means that no matter the excellent progress the President makes when he embarks on foreign missions, there is little or no structure in place for clear and actionable follow up. No country will feel confident to engage with an ambassador whose future is hanging in the balance.    

    So, what is it that can be done in the circumstance?

    There is therefore an urgent need to resolve the appointment of new and returning ambassadors as soon as possible, including Nigeria’s representation at UN bodies such as WTO, WIPO, UNESCO amongst others.  Furthermore, government’s responses to the different coups d’etat in neighboring African countries were mostly rushed and inconsistent. There is a clear and urgent need to reset our foreign diplomacy and move away from what I call ‘knee-jerk diplomacy’ in which actions are announced without clear implementation framework.    

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    We need to articulate a clear and investment-friendly foreign diplomacy framework that will bring about international development financing needed to grow our domestic economy. Nigeria has a huge financing gap. We have a lot of projects that need to be completed, good roads, education, healthcare but we simply don’t have the money. In this situation, what do other countries do?  They try to secure the best deals that will deliver win-win outcomes in terms of international financing and development.  Like I said earlier, in international law, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate. So, it is imperative for us to send the best minds that can negotiate the best deals for us. Mobilising adequate international and domestic finance should therefore be the urgent focal point of our international diplomacy.

     Speaking of win-win outcomes, one of the key issues for Nigeria is how to remain competitive in an era of reduced demand for oil and gas. What should be done? 

    I am a strong advocate of a just, inclusive and orderly energy transition that leaves no country, no person, or no sector behind.  At the last UN General Assembly in New York, I delivered a report of our working group titled “Extractive Sector, Just Transition and Human Rights” in which I called for international solidarity to ensure that global efforts to transition to low carbon energy sources do not constrain progress on human rights and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria. The energy transition cannot replicate or create new forms of human rights abuses, including unemployment, social exclusions, land grabs, poverty, energy insecurity and conflict risks. Without adequate safeguards, developing countries may become the sacrificial lambs for net zero and decarbonisation.

    What should be the focus of the country’s foreign diplomacy in this area?

    Our foreign diplomacy framework in this area must therefore emphasise the need for a just and inclusive global decarbonisation agenda that balances the interests, priorities and needs of developing countries in accordance with international law. For example, this is 2024, and currently more than 1 billion people (13% of the world’s total population) still lack access to electricity, with about 600 million of those in Africa.  Even in Nigeria, constant supply of electricity, reliability and affordability remain key issues. We need a fair and inclusive transition that does not compromise our ability to tackle the current energy poverty challenges facing the country. This will include significant financing, technology and development assistance that will enable us to deploy lower carbon economic models over the next years.

    In this regard, our report recommends that “developed countries should mobilise financial and technical resources to assist resource-dependent countries as part of a common global effort and international solidarity to keep the energy transition ambition on track.” There is also a need to harness lower carbon and environmentally preferable transition fuels, such as natural gas, that will help combat the current energy poverty emergency facing our world.

    How was green jobs created in US economy?

    For example, as far back as in 2007, the United States passed the Green Jobs Act which authorised up to US$125 million in funding to establish national and state job training programmes to help accelerate green employment in key sectors and industries, such as energy efficient buildings and construction, renewable electric power, energy efficient vehicles, and biofuels development. To ensure effective implementation, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics actively collects information on the number of green jobs created across key sectors. This idea of greening the economy is urgently required to accelerate progress on all the SDGs. We need to develop national strategies and legislative frameworks to advance the creation of green jobs and net-zero workforce especially in energy-intensive industries. By devoting a significant chunk of economic recovery plans to finance green and climate resilient infrastructure development programs, Nigeria can record multi-sector progress in achieving net- zero emissions targets of the Paris Agreement, while also advancing the various SDG targets relating to job creation, poverty reduction, biodiversity, conservation, and low carbon transition in key sectors.

     What is ILA Nigeria doing to promote knowledge and awareness on the green economy, just transition and investment-focused foreign diplomacy that you described? 

    Many times, African countries, including Nigeria, end up with lopsided international agreements and deals simply because they go there not with the best minds that understand the intricacies of international deal making. For example, we were all alarmed by the P&ID contract scam that almost cost the country a whopping $11 billion. In a country with several international law experts, this should never happen. We need people that understand the intricacies of international law to be able to go there and negotiate the best deals to bring home financing needed to eradicate poverty, address climate change, and to provide our societies and people the required modern energy sources and infrastructure to lead a decent life.

    Our goal at the ILA is to prepare the next generation of international law experts and diplomats that can support Nigeria’s foreign diplomacy agenda. The ILA was established in 1873 in Brussels, with the objective of promoting the study and clarification of international law, both public and private.

      At the local level, what is the ILA doing to bridge gaps on all aspects of international law as it affects  commercial arbitration, contract negotiation, energy transition among others?

     At the Nigerian Branch, we are at the forefront of providing world-class  capacity development programs, workshops, and public dialogue to bridge the current knowledge gaps on all aspects of international law, including commercial arbitration, contract negotiation, environment and just energy transition. Just a few weeks ago, we had a much-publicised and highly successful end of year dinner on “Arbitration and Putting our House in Order” which provided insights on how to address fraud and corruption in the practice of arbitration. We are also now preparing for our next Annual Conference scheduled for April, 2024 which will address the role of international law in promoting public-private partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure development financing. Amongst other important topics to be discussed, the conference will provide insights from leading international law experts on how we can leverage climate financing options such as concessional climate infrastructure loans, green bonds, climate guarantees, and debt for climate swaps from international sources to implement green development projects across different sectors in Nigeria. These are all urgent foreign policy issues of our time which Nigeria cannot afford to take the back seat on. We will continue to provide best practices on how Nigeria can leverage its comparative advantage as Africa’s largest economy to secure high-impact investments and once again take the lead role in international diplomacy. We welcome all international law enthusiasts to join us at the ILA in promoting Nigeria’s brand of international law and diplomacy to the world.

    Can you tell us a bit about your career challenges? 

    Experiencing the practice of law in different jurisdictions has enabled me to gain a systemic understanding of deal-making in different world cultures and traditions and have enabled me to turn challenges to opportunities both in my practice and teaching of international law.

    International law is a melting pot of different world traditions and legal cultures including common law, civil law and mixed jurisdictions. As arbitrators and sovereign counsel, we are often called upon to advise on matters that cut across these different legal traditions. Having been educated in Nigeria, Canada, United States and the United Kingdom which are common law jurisdictions, I have had the privilege of teaching and providing legal counsel in Qatar and China which are civil law jurisdictions.  For example, this makes it possible for me to teach international energy and environmental law from a global perspective which contextualises the drafting, negotiation, and interpretation of contracts from the standpoint of how Nigerians see it, as well as how counterparts in China, Qatar, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, and other jurisdictions may view it. Furthermore, studying and working in multiple jurisdictions means I have friends in almost every country that I go to, which have greatly enhanced global networking and business development.

    Having received so much support and mentoring from institutions abroad, my ultimate aim as an international lawyer is to be at the forefront of leveraging my training and experience to attract the best international investment opportunities that can spur sustainable development in the country, and to motivate and inspire the next generation. I am glad that my efforts in this regard have been recognised by the profession and beyond, and I look forward to doing more. 

  • A review of the poem Green Giant by Joshua Omeke

    A review of the poem Green Giant by Joshua Omeke

    I come from the only country in the world with a total arable land yet some of its people die of hunger,
    A land full of riches but have a large number of poor occupants,
    I would give you my green passport to go and see for yourself,
    A nation that had been stripped from her dress,
    I would like to proceed by discussing on the atrocities further,
    Nation made a fatherland with no regards to the mothers,
    Our sisters marriage cannot grant to foreigners citizenship rights,
    On this day the union flag was dropped, and green white green was raised with effect,
    The national budget is a kill and divide concept,
    Flourishes in the pockets of their circus; far from the reach of the masses pocket,
    Yet my beloved nation, Nigeria;
    Nigeria you gave me a family,
    A place to a call home,
    Street knowledge with susceptible slangs,
    Happiness, and friends with hope to keep living,
    Showed me love then colored my life with creativity,
    Kept me occupied with meals that are one of a kind,
    Through all the sadness from matters of life and struggles you gave me the slogan “one day e go better”
    You’re a nation with all the natural resources known to man yet your people are on the edges,
    Naija I hail o, I really hail…

    Joshua Omeke is a mercurial writer, sublime poet, novelist, painter, songwriter/lyricist and a forcible voice against the wiles of neo-colonial entanglements. He was born in Lagos, Nigeria. Joshua earned himself a BSc in Physics at Delta state university, Abraka. And went on to pursue a masters in Business Innovation with E-Business from Birkbeck, University of London.

    He has had his work “Joe’s Collectanea” published (2023) and single poems on several other papers like News Telegraph, Poetry.com, The Ghana review, and he had been a guest at the Blackish International literary festival in 2022. Joshua has been featured on a number of literal magazines as a star in the black community and is a member of the royal african society uk and the poetry society uk. Recently, he had been selected as a leader to participate in workshop on crafting compelling submissions for UK-based Literary Prizes at Pa Gya Literal Festival 2023 in Ghana, due to his expertise in literature.

    With his concerns on his countrymen, he had written “The Green Giant” to create awareness and promote a solution by forcing the leaders to review points spoken of. A Poem that sings the far cry of his countrymen. Being an editor with over 7years at The Nation, I must confess the intro was compelled me to review this piece of excellence. He said “I come from the only country in the world with a total arable land yet some of its people die of hunger” and with the current situation of Nigeria. It may instigate anger on their situation yet brings awareness to his countrymen. And we know this land is filled with natural resources still, it is difficult to access trading these commodities even though it were on your own parcel of land.

    It draws back to the situation of Oloibiri, a community that believed since they discovered their crude oil, the government would allow them rights to trade directly but rather were denied access. This seems hard to believe by those who are not inland hence why the writer had suggested.”I would give you my green passport to go and see for yourself.”

    And he carried on to discuss the impossibility of securing a Nigerian passport by marrying a female citizen because the immigration only accepts citizenship application from foreign women married to a Nigerian man. But do not grant application when a foreign man married to a Nigerian woman applies with the stanza below “Our sisters marriage cannot grant to foreigners citizenship rights.” This is a reality, many Nigerians should have been aware of, unfortunately not many do because only a few hundreds marry foreign men and it is very educative in a brief read. The reason surrounds the fact Nigeria is recognized as a Father’s land, rather the foreigner would have to keep applying for a visa extension, this aspect of the law might be considered for a review if this poem continues to cover scenes. It has been on newspaper, been spoken about on radio and now I am drafting a review this is how forcible the poem has become.

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    The writer went on to say “On this day the union flag was dropped, and green white green was raised with effect.” However, failed to specify the day, although this is an elegant piece but it is also efficient writers advance their narrative measures to enable the reader understand properly. Hence, I assume this writer meant October 1st of which is the independence day of Nigeria. Suddenly, switched to the notion of how national budget usually announced but there is no open account on the use, rather we see results on the rulers acquiring and the masses still struggle. The good thing is the writer then gave these stanza that shows regardless of the situation, the dwellers of his home country are alike to his feelings of yearning for the goodness of their nation below;

    Yet my beloved nation, Nigeria;
    Nigeria you gave me a family,
    A place to a call home,
    Street knowledge with susceptible slangs,
    Happiness, and friends with hope to keep living,
    Showed me love then colored my life with creativity,
    Kept me occupied with meals that are one of a kind,
    Through all the sadness from matters of life and struggles you gave me the slogan “one day e go better”
    You’re a nation with all the natural resources known to man yet your people are on the edges,
    Naija I hail o, I really hail…

    After an overview of the work, the writer’s attempt to tell a story was meaningful and will temper the emotions of every homeland reader. His prowess displays, years of expertise in poetry thus serves as a great medium for letting out emotions. The work could tell that though he may be away from home but not far from checking on home, either the news or his people. Because it shows he is informed

    In his poetry, the writer displays visible influences of pidgin english “naija I hail o, I really hail…” This is a common statement of Nigerians as a means to revive hope for a better tomorrow. The words knitted in simplicity, so a layman can pick up a news paper to read this and understand without having to be confused or checking a dictionary. This poem revealed his leadership skills in coordinating easily. No wonder he was selected as a credible individual for the Pa Gya Festival workshop.

  • AfDB invests in green energy

    AfDB invests in green energy

    The African Development Bank has achieved a 100 per cent investment in renewable energy in 2017, a major landmark in its commitment to clean energy and efficiency.

    Power generation projects with a cumulative 1,400 megawatts exclusively from renewables were approved during the year, with plans to increase support for renewable energy projects in 2018 under the New Deal on Energy for Africa.

    AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina said: “We are clearly leading on renewable energy. We will help Africa unlock its full energy potential, while developing a balanced energy mix to support industrialisation. Our commitment is to ensure 100 per cent climate screening for all Bank financed projects.’’

    The share of renewable energy projects as a portion of the Bank’s portfolio of power generation investments increased from 14 per cent in 2007 to 2011, to 64 per cent in 2012 to 2016.

    The Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) whose goal is to deliver 300 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy in 2030 and 10 GW by 2020, is now based within the Bank, as requested by African Heads of State and Government. The G7 has promised to commit US$10 billion to support the initiative, which came out of COP21 and subsequently approved by the African Union.

    On November 8, 2017, the African Bank Group approved its Second Climate Change Action Plan, 2016-2020 (CCAP2) as a clear message of its commitment to helping African countries mobilise resources to support the implementation of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions of Regional Member Countries, in ways that will not hinder development.

  • The Green Shirts of Niger Delta

    When T.Y. Bello (Toyin Sofekun-Bello) sang: “The land is green, is green, oh oh oh; the land is green, is green, can’t you see” she might have had the Niger Delta in mind. No part of our country is more lush fully green than the Niger Delta with its all-year round rainfall.  Even in times of tragic oil pollution, some plants stubbornly sprout with their green coated in oil, as if to say, ‘this land is ours’

    The irony however is that the rich natural vegetation of the region has not translated into food self-sufficiency or security. Like most parts of the country, the Niger Delta has become like Abdul, the man in the fairy tale who wants to get rich without working. Yes, oil is a rich resource, but as we know, it is a wasting one; not only will it not last, but also, its  importance is diminishing daily with humanity finding alternative ways of powering energy and automobiles. In fact, future cars will be run on recycled water. This is why the government of President Muhammadu Buhari harps not just on the need for alternative sources of income for the country, but with its Green Initiative, backed by various programmes like the CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme and those of the Bank of Industry, point at agriculture as what would save the country.

    When in July, 2015, I was appointed the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme with the sustainable reintegration of 30,000 ex-militants as a main target, I worked out in the back of my mind, the fastest and best way to achieve this. My conclusion is   to let the Amnesty Beneficiaries blend with the greenery of the region by attracting them to return to culture the land and fish ponds.

    This I also found as the answer to the federal government’s primary objectives in the Niger Delta which is to ensure peace and sustainable development. So apart from continuing the existing projects such as developing the human capital resource of the region through tertiary education, professional and vocation training and empowerment, my team and I took the sure turn to agriculture. We entered into partnership with various organizations like the Bio Technology Resource Centre, University Agriculture faculties and established farms to train the ex-agitators.

    These seedlings we are planting are beginning to sprout. You can imagine my joy when on Friday October 13, before the chiefs, elders and people of George Town, Okrika, Rivers State, 20 young men in green overall stood before us, the mass media and the world, as I handed over to them a modern, zero-waste, integrated cluster farm. These were part of the 105 youths the Presidential Amnesty Programme had trained under the Songhai Rivers Initiative Farm. While their colleagues are being empowered with single stand- alone farms and ponds, this was our first experiment to group ex-agitators into cluster farms, register them as cooperatives and watch them become not just self-employed, but also employing other unemployed youth.

    The model farm, fully funded by the Presidential Amnesty Programme which we handed over to the beneficiaries, has 30 ponds, one  run-off earthen pond, 5000 bird poultry including broiler and  layers, free range, cropping and processing sections, one administration and sales office, two feed stores, two implement stores and one control room.

    I told the beneficiaries that they have a once in a life time opportunity not just to make a decent living for themselves and their families but also to employ a number of the unemployed. I also  informed them that  the Amnesty Office was further empowering them by handing over to them as a start-off package, 1000 fingerlings to 2000 post fingerlings,  100 Point of Lay Birds and an additional 200 broilers, 10 piglets  and a crop section with  cucumber, pepper, pumpkin and okra.

    Perhaps the most critical aspect of this farm is that it is designed to be one with an all-year round production by running a staggered stocking and harvesting plan. With this, commercial sales have been programmed with the sale of eggs by November 1, and, smoked fish, broilers and vegetables in December.  We opted that smoked fish, rather than fresh fish be sold, first to add value and secondly to make more profit.

    I was also very happy with George Town which provided the land for the farm. I was elated when the traditional leader of the town, Chief Akuro Richard George said with this project, we had brought federal presence to them and that the project has established a bond between the George Town people and the federal government. His request that the Presidential Amnesty Programme establish a skills acquisition centre in George Town to cater for lots of unemployed youths is one that sits well with the Presidential Amnesty Office.

    My happiness knew no bounds when the chairman of the ex-Agitators Cooperative, Emmanuel.T. Promise, thanked the federal government for giving them the opportunity of their lives to  run a  viable and sustainable business of their own.  These are men who had picked up arms to fight the country, but who are now role models for their peers and are resolved to run their lives in peace and security.

    The occasion further convinced me that this is the way to go; that this cluster farm which we registered with the Rivers State government as “Okrika Agro Farmers 105 Cooperative and Investment and Credit Society Limited” must be replicated in other parts of the Niger Delta. Already, we have 1,000 beneficiaries   who have either been trained, being trained or are on the waiting list to be trained in agriculture.

    As we continue with this, our attention is also directed at rice farming for which we have already trained 305 beneficiaries with two of them establishing their rice farms in Ughelli. My vision is to produce tens of thousands of youths in the Niger Delta cladded in their green overall and shirts, turning the region into a Green Belt and blending with the green vegetation.  This is the beginning of what I call the “Green Shirt Movement” The Land is green and is becoming greener, can’t you see?

     

    • Brigadier General Boroh (Rtd) is Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

  • Fed Govt eyes N20b green bond

    The Federal Government plans to launch its delayed “green” bond worth N20 billion within the next few weeks, former environment minister, Amina Mohammed, has said.

    Mohammed, now deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation proceeds from the sovereign bond – which is expected to raise about 20 billion naira ($63.6 million) from its first tranche – would be used to fund renewable energy, transport and agriculture projects.

    Nigeria’s green bond could lay the groundwork for other African countries to follow, she added. Green bonds have been around for a decade but sovereign borrowers had been absent from the market, which was traditionally dominated by international development banks.

    The green bond market has enjoyed strong growth in the last two years, with issuance jumping 105 percent last year alone to a record $72 billion, according to data compiled by Thomson Reuters and the Climate Bond Initiative.

    Poland and France have both launched sovereign green bonds since the end of last year. Mohammed, who initiated the Nigerian bond while she was environment minister, said its issue had been postponed from an initial date at the end of March because the country’s budget had to be passed first.

    “We’ve just had the budget approved, so I believe Nigeria will look, probably within the next few weeks, to doing (the bond issue),” Mohammed said on last Thursday on the sidelines of a U.N. conference in Mexico on disaster risk reduction.

    Announcing the plan for the bond in February, the environment ministry said it was aimed at widening Nigeria’s funding options and diversifying the OPEC member’s oil-dependent economy, which is the largest in Africa.

    Peter Tarfa, director of the climate change department in the environment ministry, told a separate conference in Barcelona that the bond would be launched in the coming month, and would generate resources for climate change projects, including forest-planting and a mass rapid transit system. The total amount raised, including a second tranche targeted for September, would be more than N45 billion, he said.

  • Group roots for ‘green revolution’

    Group roots for ‘green revolution’

    As part of its centennial celebration, the Lions District  404B1 Nigeria has adopted the Tree planting project to save the environment from deforestation.

    Last week, Lagos Valiant Lions Club took the campaign for tree planting to Olorunfunmi Junior Grammar School, Idimu, a Lagos suburb, where it planted some trees.

    Its President, Mrs Jennifer Benson-Akinremi, said the club selects a project yearly, and that this year’s event specifically came up last month with the choice of saving the environment.

    ‘’What we are working on was based on a directive from our international office. It is not we only that are doing this, it is all over the world. But we chose this school as our project,’’ she said, adding that the funds for the projects were raised from her colleagues, who are committed to Lions’ three Ts – Talent, Treasure (money) and Time.

    She promised to check the plants regularly to ensure that they do not die.  “Our Tree Planting Chairman, Ibrahim Odunsi, would come here to see to that,’’ she added.

    Odunsi said they chose the school because they felt that the ‘green revolution’should be taken to the grassroots too. ‘’When you protect the environment, you protect lives,’’ he said.

    The state Ministry of Education District 1 Director Dr Olufolayimika Abiose Ayandele, the school’s Principal Mrs Olufunmilayo Adeseri and her deputy Mrs Odeyemi as well as the Head Boy took turns to plant trees, urging that the trees would provide oxygen, shelter and wade off evil winds.

    Mrs Ayandele said: “We pray the trees will germinate and give us fresh air in this environment.’’  Mrs Adeseri thanked Lions for the gesture. ‘’We appreciate Lions. May God bless you. We are planting trees. Tree is life,’’ adding: “We also need your assistance in our perimeter fencing. We have tried and tried, but no help came to  us.’’

  • Going green with ‘smart cities’

    Going green with ‘smart cities’

    Smart or Business Cities are a common feature in most developed climes. Its goal is to improve quality of life by using urban informatics and technology to boost efficiency of services and meet residents’ needs. ChannelDrill, an indigenous firm, is set to deliver such a city through reclamation and dredging of the Lagos lagoon. MUYIWA LUCAS reports that when completed in 2021, the multiplier effect will not only grow the economy astronomically, but also ensure that the city conforms to the clamour for environmental development.

    Cities, according to Town Planners and other players in the built environment, are engines of growth. This is why experts and other stakeholders in the industry are clamouring for more investment in real estate.

    For them, this is a viable option to drive the economy out of recession. This is because of its potential to attract new entrepreneurs, promote job creation and make artisans and masons huge contributors to the economy.

    A smart city is one equipped with basic infrastructure to give a decent quality of life, a clean and sustainable environment through application of some smart solutions. It is an urban development vision to integrate multiple information and communication technology (ICT) solutions in a secure fashion to manage a city’s assets.

    Part of the features include but not limited to assured water and electricity supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, robust IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation, safety and security of citizens. Others are public information, grievance redressal, electronic service delivery, citizens’ engagement, waste to energy and fuel, waste to compost, 100 per cent treatment of waste water, smart meters and management, monitoring water quality, renewable source of energy, efficient energy and green building, smart parking, intelligent traffic management system.

    Through the use of ICT, officials running the city to interact directly with the community and the city infrastructure and to monitor what is happening in the city, how the city is evolving, and how to enable a better quality of life. For instance, through the use of sensors integrated with real-time monitoring systems, data are collected from citizens and devices – then processed and analysed.

    Smart cities are developed with the goal of improving the management of urban flows and allowing for real time responses to challenges. Therefore, a smart city is usually more prepared to respond to challenges than one with a simple relationship with its citizens.

    Major technological, economic and environmental changes have generated interest in smart cities, including climate change, economic restructuring, the move to online retail and entertainment, ageing populations, urban population growth and pressures on public finances. In China, ZTE Corporation have more than 150 cities with Smart Solutions; in the United Arab Emirates, smart or business cities are the order of the day, Dubai, smart cities.

    A city can also be classified as ‘smart’ when investments in human and social capital and traditional transport and modern communication infrastructure fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life, with a wise management of natural resources, through participatory action and engagement.

    Now, with an increasing population and need for more housing units, an indigenous firm, ChannelDrill, in partnership with The Elegushi Royal Family (ERF) has secured approval to build a business city in Lagos State on 200 hectares of reclaimed land from  dredging the Lagos Lagoon. This project, known as  the Imperial International Business City (IIBC), has Channeldrill Resources Limited as the developer and Joint Venture (JV) partner to ERF . The development of the project, which started last August, will be completed in 2021.

    The IIBC, being built on the Lagos lagoon, will run from the end of Freedom road to the end of NICON town; that is, from freedom road to Kunsenla Road, to Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi Road, through Lekki Phase 1 ( Lekki Third Roundabout). Its access routes will be through 4th Roundabout of Lekki-Epe high way, by spa supermarket before Jakande bus stop.

     

    Smart, Business city

    According to the managing director of ChannelDrill Resources, Mr. Femi Akioye, since IIBC is a new city that is being built from the scratch, the firm has decided to make it a fully planned city with distinct zones and building regulations. Each zone, he explained, will have low, medium and high density areas with water view. He said the land to be built on will be completely reclaimed from the Lagos Lagoon, with dredging of between two and 2.5 metres above sea level to avoid flooding, which is common in the Lekki axis.

    “The Lekki-Epe corridor is reputed as the fastest growing not only in Nigeria, but in the whole of West Africa, with the biggest seaport, airport, refineries and other infrastructure coming up. The people, who will work there must live somewhere, and this is a motivation for developers. The future demand of the Lekki Free Trade Zone will only increase demand for comfortable homes within the metropolis,” Akioye said.

    Expressing optimism on the prospects of the IIBC, the ChannelDrill boss noted that the new city would correct some of the mistakes recorded in the development of the Lekki Phase 1. The project, he further explained, gives the developers the opportunity to build smart and go green for the future.

    The city, he revealed, will be well planned and will be Africa’s first eco-friendly city. This will be achieved with the creation of lakes and waterways within the city, as well as underground drains, the first smart shopping mall in the country and the first six-star hotel in Africa to be built.

     

    International consortium

    Already, Akioye said a consortium of experts in building, such cities have been recruited for the IIBC project. These include Dredging International (Dredging Contractors), Royal Haskoning (Marine Engineer & Reclamation Consultants), M. Arthur Gensler & Associates (Master Planner/ Architects), Delloitte Real Estate Middle East (Project Manager), Belgium Dredging Company, Netherlands Marine Engineer and Reclamation Consultants, United Kingdom Infrastructure Engineering Consultants, United Kingdom Master and Town Planner, Germany Shoreline Protector, and Kedari Capital Limited, among others. With this team, Akioye is convinced that “we have entrusted the job to one of the best dredging companies in the world.”

    Director, Maritime Projects, Royal Kaskoning DV, Mr. Roland Stive, assured that his firm has adopted a state-of-the-art reclamation design without silt, coarse and angular quartz as well as flood resilient platform level, stable and sustainable waters edges and settlement control in the project. He said that since 60 per cent of the world population live in coastal areas, then there is the need for safe and resilient coastal development, which the city would offer.

    According to the General Manager, Dredging International, Stefaan Van Velthoven, dredgers had already been positioned in the lagoon for the project. In similar vein, the Project Coordinator and Adviser to the Elegushi Family, Benson Evboren, disclosed that all necessary approvals for the project had been obtained. He said reclamation would take two years, while the actual construction would last for three years.

    “It will be a sight to behold when completed and will also stand the test of time. IIBC is also designed to take pressure off Lekki Phase 1,” Evboren explained.

     

    Financial advisor

    The IIBC project also has Nigerian financial advisors on board, with lead consultant, Kedari Capital, acting as Joint Financial Adviser and Fund Arrangers to the IIBC project.

    According to the Group Chief Executive Officer of Kedari, Mrs. Ife Fashola, the firm brings to bear its experience in project and structured finance, especially having proven experience in delivering its services in the real estate sector and on similar projects. She explained that part of its focus as a firm is to partner with public and private sector players in delivering infrastructure, real estate, energy/power projects and even provide funding for manufacturing concerns through properly articulated financing structures and issuance of suitable instruments.

    She assured the public that Kedari, in pursuit of the successful delivery of the over $300 million project, would guide the promoters, proffer suitable financing structures and assist in raising the required financing for the project.

    Kedari, Fashola said, is particular about the professional pedigree and integrity of project promoters and their ability to successfully deliver on their promises. “We have worked closely with the promoters of IIBC right from the conceptualisation of the project and we are very confident about the pedigree of the assembled project team on the IIBC project. The project will be successfully delivered to global standards,” she assured.

     

    Infrastructure

    Other infrastructure to be put in place by Channeldrill include a 250-metre entrance road. The road network will include walkway and bicycle way; waterway and lakes; underground drainage, sewage treatment, potable water and water treatment plant, independent gas fired electricity and cooking gas piped to every house, including fibre optics cable.

    Others are cloud enabled communication network and smart city/house infrastructure for willing subscribers; mini-marina and water park, Mini Gulf course; Perimeter fencing, First Smart shopping Mall in Africa; cloud enabled 24-hour spy eyed security connected to a central security center; private data centre and a world-class hospital and recovery resort within a dedicated health care zone.

    The project offers various sizes of plots. The minimum is 650 sqm. Others include: 800sqm, 1000sqm and 1200sqm, 2000sqm, 3000sqm & 5000sqm.

  • GREEN WHITE GREEN TO HOLD WORLD PREMIERE

    FOLLOWING its selection for screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF in its City to City program, Green White Green, a movie which explores Nigeria’s history and evolution of violence, art and film told through the coming-of-age tale of aspiring artists in Lagos, will be holding a global premiere.

    According to the producers, the movie will have its world premiere at TIFF on September 14 at the Isabel Bader Theatre

    The movie is the story of three young men from different classes who band together to escape the monotony of their parents’ generational demands and chase their creative dreams. In a satirical stab at the old straight to video Nollywood, Green White Green is a modern dramatic comedy that asks that question, “What does it mean to be Nigerian?”

    “I fought to make this film come to fruition despite many limitations. With this film I wanted to express the experience of many young Nigerians who are lost inside a culture and history they are coming to grips with,” says rising filmmaker, Abba T. Makama.

    Green White Green is lead by a powerhouse team of creatives; Executive Producer, Rimini Haraya Makama, listed in Forbes 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa (2014) Abba T. Makama, director of African Movie Academy nominated documentary Nollywood, commissioned by Al Jazeera, award-winning actor Ifeanyi Dike Jr. has been named a Top 30 Nigerian under 30, Top 21 Young Achiever under 21, among other accolades, Veteran Film/TV actor and Thespian Bimbo Manuel.

  • Fidelity is Best Green Partner

    Fidelity is Best Green Partner

    Fidelity Bank Plc has been adjudged the “Best Green Partner 2015” by the Lagos State government at this year’s Tree Planting Day.

    The organisers of the event said Fidelity Bank was given the award in recognition of its outstanding contributions to the protection and improvement of the environment.

    Specifically, they said the bank which is the first financial institution to win the award, showed support for initiatives aimed at identifying and promoting the preservation, protection and beautification of the environment.

    At the event at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Camp in Lagos, the bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nnamdi Okonkwo, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting the state’s laudable greening policy as it aligns with the bank’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) focus on conservation and environmental protection.

    “Fidelity Bank works in collaboration with public institutions – state and local governments – to create and maintain green parks in chosen locations. The beautification of the Falomo Roundabout in Lagos State, in partnership with the Lagos State government, is a typical example of what the bank seeks to achieve in this area,” he said.

    While promising to work with the state to create and maintain green parks in chosen locations, Okonkwo noted that the bank has executed many beautification projects across the country. They include Onikan, Milverton, Dopemu and Matori Roundabouts in Lagos State; RSUT in Rivers State, Rangers Avenue junction in Enugu State, Mbaise Road in Owerri, Imo State, Abia Towers in Umuahia, and KrikaSama Roundabout in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

    He also said the bank supports environmental advocacy groups, such as the Nigeria Conservative Foundation (NCF) in their advocacy programmes, one of which is “Walk for nature”, a yearly event designed to create awareness about nature conservation and good environmental practices.

    He said: “We also undertake green initiatives that assist the environment. In this regard, we have become the first, and perhaps, the only bank in Nigeria that dispenses cash with recycled biodegradable cash bags instead of polyethylene bags used by others, which is destructive to the ecosystem.”

    Fidelity Bank also assents to relevant international accords and protocols aimed at promoting sustainability, like the Equator Principles.

    In his keynote address with Lend a hand to save trees as theme, Governor AkinwunmiAmbode, noted that planting of trees was crucial for the environment as trees provide oxygen, helps conserve energy, saves water, and prevents erosion among others. He said the state plans to plant 10 million trees by 2020.

    Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tunji Bello, Ambode praised Fidelity Bnak for initiating the drive for a greener environment and called on other corporate bodies and public spirited individuals to join hands with the state to conserve nature and make Lagos an environmentally friendly place for all to live.