President Goodluck Jonathan has released N5 billion out of the N9.2 billion for the purchase of clean stoves for rural women.
According to the Minister of Environment, Laurentia Mallam, who confirmed this on Monday, Messrs Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited, has been given N1.3 billion from the N5 billion released by the Federal Government.
Find the stoves below:
THE Federal Government yesterday blamed the current environmental challenges on disregard for environmental laws and regulations.
The federal government said a total disregard and abuse of the environment has led to indoor and outdoor air pollution, industrial pollution, biodiversity loss, erosion, land degradation, desertification, among others.
The Minister of Environment Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, said this in Abuja at the Federal/States Regulatory Dialogue on the Implementation of National Environmental Regulations organised by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Rabi Jimeta, said that 33 national environmental regulations have been reviewed and adopted by the government.
She said 28 out of the 32 have been gazetted and are being implemented.
The minister said the dialogue will create an inclusive avenue to promote an effective compliance and enforcement programme.
The Director – General, NESREA, Dr. Ngeri Benebo, said the agency has developed ways of ensuring an inclusive environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement programme.
NIGERIA lacks the capacity to handle marine population, the federal government has declared.
The government, however, admitted that marine pollution was not common to Nigeria alone, adding that super powers are also battling the same challenge.
The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, made this revelation in Abuja while receiving a letter of approval for Nigeria to host the Regional Coordinating Centre to combat marine pollution in West, Central and Southern Africa.
The letter was delivered to the minister by the Executive Secretary, Abidjan Convention, Mr. Abou Bamba, during a courtesy visit at the ministry’s headquarters.
According to her, Nigeria lacks the capabilities, technology and manpower to handle the challenges posed by marine pollution.
She said: “Yes, we have this problem, but it is not only Nigeria that is battling with this problem. But we are doing our best. The citing of the marine pollution headquarters here will give us the advantage.
“We do not have the technology and capability to handle these problems. With others coming in, it will be a combined effort and we will be able to do it well. So, we are happy to have it here. And I know that with others with us, we shall succeed.”
The minister assured the convention of the support of the federal government in fighting marine pollution.
Earlier, Bamba, said that the hosting of the headquarters in Nigeria was another step in tackling marine pollution in the region.
According to him, this will also speed up the clean-up of Ogoni land, adding that the Abidjan convention would provide adequate logistics to make the Nigerian centre functional and successful.
The Federal Government has urged citizens to refrain from activities capable of causing global warming.
Activities such as uncontrolled bush burning, indiscriminate use of generators, candle lanterns and vehicular emissions, according to the government, contribute to global warming.
The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, said it was important for Nigerians to be aware of the critical challenges posed to the environment by global warming activities.
She spoke during at press briefing to mark the 2014 WED at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja.
Mallam noted that refraining from global warming activities will help forestall ozone layer depletion, melting of the arctic region, increased rainfall and rising sea levels.
She said: “The UN and indeed the world have recognised that the very existence of life is largely a function of the type of environment in which we live in.
“This is why we are drawing national and global attention to small issues of profound environmental consequences.
“Sensitisation campaigns on issues of bush burning, cleaning of gutters, cutting down of trees, use of generators, refuse management, use of candles and lanterns, vehicular emission, and use of dangerous chemicals among others should be intensified.”
The minister stated that the world was indivisible as far as issues of environment were concerned, stressing it was important for Nigerians to develop environmental consciousness, think globally and act locally.
The federal government has begun plans to phase out the use of mercury because of its effect on the environment.
The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, said mercury pollutes the environment and disrupts the ecosystem.
She also said the use of dental amalgam, a substance used in filling decayed tooth, is hazardous to human health.
The minister spoke in Abuja at a stakeholders’ forum on phasing out dental amalgam with the theme: Nigeria: towards a mercury free dentistry.
Mallam, who was represented by the Acting Director, Pollution Control, and Environmental Health, Kasimu Bayero, said government will look for other effective, environmentally- friendly and non- hazardous measures to human health.
She said: “Mercury is one of the most poisonous elements on earth. It aggravates the environment and disrupts the ecosystem.
“It has significant effects on human health and the environment. The environment and health of our country remains the main concern.”
The Executive Director Development and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria), Leslie Adogame, explained mercury is a toxic substance of global concern that causes significant harm to human health, wildlife and ecosystems.
He cautioned that an exposure to mercury could be harmful to pregnant women and lactating mothers who expose children to mercury during breast feeding.
Adogame said: “Parental and infant mercury exposure can cause mental retardation, cerebral palsy, deafness, and blindness.
“Even in low doses, mercury may affect a child’s development, delaying walking and talking and causing learning disabilities.
“In adults, mercury poisoning can adversely affect fertility and blood pressure regulation and can cause memory loss, tremors, vision loss, and numbness of the fingers and toes.
“A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to mercury may also lead to heart diseases.
“Improper disposal of these mercury wastes contaminates the environment locally, downstream and globally.”
THE Federal Government will replace the use of domestic candles and kerosene lanterns in most homes next year with clean solar energy lamps.
The Minister for Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, disclosed this in Abuja when senior officials of the Total Group paid her a courtesy visit.
She said that the old household beams would be replaced in 12 months with clean solar energy lamps that are more environmental and ozone- friendly.
Mallam said solar lamps offer a credible solution to clean and renewable energy that are favourable to global requirements for positive actions against climate change.
The minister noted that the candles and lamp phase out process would not come by way of legislation but through the introduction of a superior product.
She assured that the new solar energy lamp technology would be distributed by the Total Group at affordable prices, especially to the rural poor.
The minister expressed concerns over environmental hazards and avoidable deaths from fire outbreaks by the use of candles and kerosene lanterns.
She explained that the switch would slash the price of kerosene and possibly eliminate the use of candles, making Nigeria more ozone-friendly.
The minister said collaboration with other ministries including Trade and Investment, Finance, Health and Education would ensure success of the solar initiative.
The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), has concluded plans to establish a bio-gas facility in Nigeria, its Director General, Mr. Li Yong, has said.
Yong stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, in Abuja.
He said UNIDO has over 50 bio-gas facilities across the world and has concluded plans to establish one in Nigeria.
According to him, the industrial facility processes waste and produces methane as well as materials which can be used as agricultural fertilisers.
He said: “The industrial facility processes waste and produces methane as well as waste materials which can be used as agricultural fertilisers.
“We are in Nigeria to support the federal government especially in areas of environmental sustainability, provision of technical support, as well as poverty reduction.”
Mallam expressed delight with UNIDO’s decision to establish such a facility in the country.
She thanked the UN body for its efforts towards helping Nigeria meet her Multilateral Treaty obligations.
The minister said: “Let me appreciate your efforts in helping Nigeria to meet her obligations towards Multilateral Treaties we have signed, like the Montreal Protocol, Stockholm Convention, Basel Convention and Minamata Convention.
“I am also aware of UNIDO’s support for the Nigerian government on the execution of Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects like reducing mercury and lead exposure and contamination in Small Scale Gold Mining by communities, through the promotion of safer mining practices in Nigeria.
“I thank you for assisting the government of Nigeria to establish one of the very few specialized laboratories in Africa for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and soil research at the University of Ibadan.”
•40 million may lose means of livelihood
The Federal Government has approved N10 billion for the Great Green Wall Programme to fight desertification in 11 northern states, Minister of Environment Mrs. Laurentia Mallam has said.
She said over 40 million may lose their means of livelihood because of dersiftication.
The minister spoke in Abuja when she received a delegation of the PanAfrican Agency of the Great Green Wall in her office.
According to her, the ministry has put in place institutions including the National Council on Shelterbelt and Afforestation check desertification.
The ministry also hopes to plant 12,500 hectares of shelterbelts and establish 800 hectares of grazing reserves in four states.
She said: “The Federal Government has approved N10 billion while efforts are going on to ensure proper buy in states from this year. Efforts are on to sources addition resources from our development partners.
“More than 35% per cent of our land area of 923,768sqkm is threatened by desertification affecting the livelihoods of more than 40 million people.
“This programme will contribute to address these issues as well as play positive roles in our fight against the insurgencies being experienced in the northern part of the country.”
The great green wall programme is part of the Government’s efforts to combat desertification in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kastina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.
THE federal government at the weekend identified degradation and poaching of wild life as major threats to national parks in the country.
The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, stated this when Theophilus Danjuma Foundation paid her a courtesy visit at the ministry’s headquarters in Mabushin, Abuja.
She identified attacks on parks protection officers, habitat destructions and infrastructural decay as the most daunting challenges to parks in Nigeria.
She warned that most wide life would go into extinction if poaching is not checked.
The minister said the ministry has stepped up efforts to address some of these challenges, while calling for collaboration with the private sector to overcome the challenges. The minister said: “Our national parks are under threats from degradation and poaching. If these threats are not checked, our wide life like elephants may go into extinction”.
She appealed to stakeholders to commit to the protection and conservation of the environment and its natural resources for sustainable development.
The foundation’s founder, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (Rtd.), commended the Federal Government for its efforts in preserving the environment.
He promised to collaborate with government to protect, restore and preserve Nigeria’s natural habitat.
“Our wile life has been wiped out completely. The Place of human activities and human excesses play a great part in the degradation of wide animal in our country.
”We must work together to preserve it. We had parks with wild life when I was growing up as a child,” Danjuma stated.
