The Nation Newspaper

Tag: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

  • How modular refineries will curb oil theft

    One way to address the growing menace of oil theft is the setting up of oil refineries, a cross section of experts have said.

    Modular refineries, they reiterated, would help in no small measure to curb the rising cases of oil theft as well as pipeline vandalism especially in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

    According to the Chairman, Gas Users Group of MAN, Dr. Michael Adebayo, more modular refineries would help in solving the issues of crude oil theft, fuel high prices and scarcity.

    “It is far better than the analogue ones which is giving us problem in the country right now. Modular refineries would help in boosting the availability of refined products in the country, and with this, things can get better. With Dangote refinery coming on board by 2020 things will get lot better. This means that we will stop importing fuel, kerosene, diesel and other petrochemicals; it would be a better Nigeria. This would help in saving our foreign exchange instead of using them for dumping,” Adebayo noted.

    An economic analyst, who was a consultant to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Dr. John Isemede stated that if these illegal refiners in the Niger Delta are given license to operate, with a set standard by the SON, and other relevant authorities, the country would be having more than enough of these refined products.

    Isemede said, “There is nowhere in the world that people are not doing the opposite things. When these illegal refining activities are monitored and adequately supervised, to follow a set-up standard, petroleum products would be available at cheaper rate. It is easier to refine crude oil than to refine the local gin (Ogogoro). So, if crude is sold to them under the supervision of relevant agencies, mandating to install tank farms, have their trucks on the roads, and so on, I tell you that Nigeria will stop importation of fuel before December.”

    However, the Director General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muda Yusuf, the country needs to moderate its expectations from modular refineries as a solution to the socioeconomic problems in the Niger Delta.

    “For instance, a 24,000 b/d modular refinery costs about $250 million. This is an equivalence of N72 billion. How many investors can afford this?  What this shows is that modular refineries should not be perceived as a possible substitute for the illegal refineries that currently exist in the oil producing areas of the country. These illegal refineries do not pay for crude. So they operate on zero cost for crude. Whereas a modular refinery would not operate with such a model since it will acquire necessary documents before commencing production. It is doubtful if the problem of oil theft, vandalisation of pipelines, environmental degradation, and other criminal activities can be solved simply by promoting investment in modular refineries,” Yusuf added.

  • Obaseki assures of sound environmental governance in Edo

    The Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has assured that the state’s new environmental policy will engender a regime of sound environmental governance that will deploy best practice in waste and water management.

    Obaseki, who gave the assurance on the occasion of the celebration of World Habitat Day, observed on October 1, each year, said efforts at repositioning the state’s environment to better serve Edo people and residents have begun yielding positive results.

    “The Edo State Ministry of Environment and Sustainability recently reviewed the activities of burrow pit and abattoir operators as well as those of sand miners across the state.

    “We have undertaken an aerial survey of the state’s land assets and were shocked at the degree of abuse and exploitation of our forests and natural resources,” he said.

    The governor stressed that: “We are resolute about restoring sanity to the sector to ensure we have an environment we all will be proud of, and which will outlive us.”

    He explained that the flash floods that have wreaked havoc in parts of the state are caused in part, by human activities and called on community and religious leaders as well as other stakeholders to support the state’s blueprint for the sector.

    Read Also: Victory shows APC is preferred party — Obaseki

    “At the recent expert session convened to review the Edo State Environmental Policy, I charged experts drawn from the United Nations’ specialised organisation to fast-track work on the policy that was tabled for validation. I am confident that when unveiled, the environmental challenges we currently face will be tackled head-on,” the governor said.

    The policy document which was prepared in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), according to Obaseki, would address environmental issues such as flooding, deforestation, amongst others.

    World Habitat Day is a day set aside by the United Nations to reflect on the state of towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter.

    The United Nations explained that “The Day is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.

    “The focus of this year’s World Habitat Day celebrations is taking action to address the municipal solid waste management challenge. This year’s theme is Municipal Solid Waste Management with a slogan: Waste-wise cities.

    The global body added, “On October 1, 2018, and in the period before and after this day, a concerted effort will be made to: raise awareness that Municipal solid waste is a global challenge that all of us need to address; facilitate policy dialogue and form partnerships; promote innovative solutions to municipal solid waste management and mobilise resources to address the municipal solid waste challenges.”

  • Edo industrialisation policy resets state on growth path – Obaseki

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the Edo Industrial Development Policy has put the state on an economic growth path that is absorbing local manpower.

    He explained that the state has been working on the comprehensive industrialisation policy with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), which he said would be unveiled soon.

    Read Also:Obaseki finalises investment with Chinese firms

    Obaseki who is pushing hard on the various stages of projects designed to transform the state into an industrial hub, noted that “the steps that have been taken by our administration are in line with the state’s well-articulated Industrial Development Policy that will support increasing growth rates, generation of sufficient employment opportunities and sustainable economic growth and development.”

    Experts contend that experience from successful national and local economies indicates that a “coherent Industrialisation Policy is a prerequisite for the advancement of industrial development in any territory.”

    Specifically, the Benin Industrial Park is conceived to serve as a base for manufacturing and processing companies that will add a great deal of value to products that are sourced from the state and her neighbours, for onward exportation through the Benin River Port in Gelegele.

    The Modular Refinery in Benin has received a N700 million as initial investment and sources familiar with the progress of the Edo-China investment collaboration, said the projects hold a lot of promise for the state.

    According to Obaseki, “the company will be involved in the production of petroleum and petrochemical products and other related businesses.

    “The venture will enhance the local refining capacity, thereby increasing the volume of naphtha, kerosene, diesel and residual fuel oil products available in Edo State.”

    He added that the venture “will create legitimate employment opportunities thereby reducing poverty and providing job opportunities for teeming youth in the communities and facilitate the establishment of a fabrication yard as proposed by the promoters, thereby creating basis for expertise, professionalism and further training in oil and gas industry.”

    The governor assured that the set of strategies adopted in the industrialisation plan will alter the structure and distribution of industrial activity to promote economic growth and development.

    The Edo Fertiliser and Chemical plant commissioned by the governor last year has provided employment opportunities for over 500 people and has created allied businesses in Auchi where it is located, aside providing access to fertiliser.

    The governor added that the technical manpower required to drive these industries are being groomed at the Benin Science and Technical College, which is being revamped by the state government, to ensure that skilled manpower will be sourced locally.

     

  • Oyo secures $5bn commitment from China – Ajimobi

    Oyo secures $5bn commitment from China – Ajimobi

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has stated that his administration has secured the commitment of five billion dollars from China in the development of the newly established Free Trade Zone(FTZ) in the state.

    The governor made the disclosure while receiving an Industrial Policy and Strategic Document from a delegation of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UNIDO team was led by Mr Jean Bakole, representative to ECOWAS and Regional Director, Nigeria Regional Office Hub.

    NAN reports that the Industrial Policy Document was developed by Oyo State Government with the approval and collaboration of UNIDO.

    Ajimobi said the establishment of the FTZ was part of his administration’s determination to make the state an industrial hub of the nation.

    Ajimobi said that no fewer than 150 investors from china have signified their intention to invest in the FTZ out of which seven of them have already began work at the FTZ site.

    “Our administration has not relented in its efforts at infrastructural development of the state, creation of jobs for the youths, revenue growth and the protection of well-being of the citizenry.

    “We have evolved several initiatives in all the various sectors of governance and which have been yielding desired results,’’ he said.

    He said that the administration’s commitment to industrialization was evident in a recent ranking, which placed the state as one of the safest and conducive for doing business.

    Ajimobi said that his administration was currently using agriculture as a platform of the state’s industrialization, adding the state was now been seen as the centre of industrial revolution.

    He commended UNIDO for selecting the state as the first beneficiary of its collaboration in Nigeria, promising the opportunity would be fully and judiciously utilized.

    Mrs Taibat Adeyemi-Agaba, the State Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Cooperatives said that the document would, on implementation, be the best in the south west region of the country, having considered contributions from internal and external stakeholders.

    Earlier, Bakole commended the transformation efforts of the Ajimobi-led administration in the state, adding they are in the state to support government efforts through effective collaboration.

    “Our main job is to support economic growth and transformation. We are here to see how we could build a roadmap to develop some various sectors.

    “This, we have done, in collaboration with the state,to develop a policy and strategic document being presented here today,’’ he said.

    Bakole, who assumed the position of regional head in Nigeria five months ago, expressed gratitude to the federal government for his warm welcome in the country.

    He said that it was a great opportunity for him to work in Nigeria, which was the leading economy in the African continent.

    “I don’t always compare Nigeria with South Africa because they have different histories. You have shown me various examples and efforts here in Nigeria, which are different from other countries in Africa,’’ he said.

    “I intentionally came into the state from Lagos by road to have a glimpse of the resources the nation was blessed with.

    “On my way, I saw the country was blessed with resources that could aid agro processing and agripreneur development,’’ he said.

    He commended the state government for developing the Ibadan City Master Plan, which he said has shown the state government’s commitment to the transformation of the state.

    Bakole stated that the master plan and the Industrial policy document were developmental documents that would aid rapid development of state through strategic framework and roadmaps.

  • EU intensifies push for Nigeria to endorse EPA deal

    EU intensifies push for Nigeria to endorse EPA deal

    The European Union (EU) has continued its push to get Nigeria endorse the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), insisting that with globalization, Nigeria cannot live in isolation as it will hurt her economy.

    The propriety or otherwise of Nigeria signing into the EPA has since pitched manufacturers and other members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) against the EU, with most of them insisting that signing the agreement as it  is presently will hurt the manufacturing sector and the economy generally.

    But the EU appears unimpressed by such argument and has, therefore, continued its push to get Nigeria ratify the EPA deal. At a dialogue session on Nigeria International Trade Relations organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), last week, Head of Trade & Economics of the EU in Nigeria and West Africa, Fillippo Amato, said Nigeria has nothing to fear as far as EPA is concerned.

    He said the EU has shown goodwill with the release of 12 million euro to support the enhancement of the National Quality Infrastructure, to improve quality, safety, integrity and marketability of Nigerian goods and services.

    He wondered how smaller African countries such as Ghana, Rwanda, Gambia, Cameroun, Mauritania and the Southern African countries have signed on as a result of improved quality of production as against Nigeria with her large population.

    On how Nigeria can tap into the European market, Amato said it is only through the improvement of her production processes.

    Nigeria is already loosing so much by the rejection of beans and other export products to the EU because of the presence of a pesticide known as dichlorvos, which is harmful to health. Amato regretted that more than 70 percent of beans exported to the EU from Nigeria contained pesticide.

    The EU boss, however, stated that that EU is working with the relevant government agencies to address the problem.

    Some of the agencies include the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) among others.

    While noting that there is no short cut to standardization, he said Nigeria must do all within her means to improve on her products both for export and internal consumption. He said the EU has 100 per cent immediate market opening for products from West Africa and 75 per cent gradual market opening over a 20 year period for products from the EU.

    LCCI President Mrs. Nike Akande while denouncing multiple charges on manufacturers by the regulatory agencies urged government on the need for diversification. She stated that no country is fully self-sufficient, urging the government to come out with consistent and sustainable policies on trade relations.

    “Our huge population is a plus for investors. Return on Investment (RoI) is one of the highest globally, but as a country we need to strengthen our competitiveness by creating an enabling environment on the supply side,” Akande said.

     

  • How to tackle e-waste management, by UNIDO, NESREA,

    How to tackle e-waste management, by UNIDO, NESREA,

    National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lawrence Anukam, has blamed the rise in global electronic or e-waste scourge on technological advancement.

    Anukam, who spoke during a sensitisation workshop on the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for the electrical/electronics sector at the British High Commission residency in Ikoyi, Lagos, said the high technology consumption rate  implies that sustainable production and consumption of electrical/electronics equipment would help control e-waste.

    The event, organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in collaboration with Hinckley Associates, United Kingdom Trade and Investment and NESREA, was aimed at creating public awareness for e-waste management.

    It was also designed to promote meaningful dialogue and consultations between NESREA and key stakeholders; understanding current e-waste disposal processes; providing an overview on current e-waste volumes and future projections.

    In a paper titled: “Overview of Hazardous Waste Management”, delivered by the Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of the Environment, (FMEnv), Mr. Theodore Nwaokwe, he said strategies for managing hazardous wastes (HZW) include appropriate use of regulations, research into cleaner production techniques, EPR and environmental impact assessment (EIA).

    Other include compliance monitoring and enforcement; polluter-pays-principle, public education to change consumption and purchasing habits.

    He also listed efforts of the FMEnv to manage HZWs to include the ratification of relevant conventions (Basel Convention, Stockholm Convention, Rotterdam Convention); establishment of regulatory agencies such as NESREA; active participation at meeting and relating to the relevant conventions.

    He said  signing of memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) on chemicals and HZW management; establishment of linkage centres, hosting of Basel & Stockholm Convention regional centres, and preparing guidelines, regulations, policy frameworks and standards are other steps the government has taken.

    Nwaokwe also listed some projects undertaken by the ministry to include the establishment of scrap metal recycling plants in some towns, establishment of plastic recycling plants in some cities, establishment of waste recycling facility (material recovery facility) in two cities, establishment of integrated waste management facility, clean-up and remediation of Warri Refinery & Petrochemical Company dumpsites, remediation of sludge pits at Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company.

    He called for a more effective HZW in the country, stressing that there is need for increase in both the federal and state budgetary allocations for HZW management; strengthening of collaboration among MDAs, increased compliance monitoring and enforcement.

    He argued that domestication of all ratified treaties and conventions relating to chemicals and HZWs and intensification of research on cleaner production techniques through increasing advocacy with the National Assembly are ways the menace could be addressed.

    He also called for increased sensitisation of stakeholders and the general public, periodic and regular review of legislations, guidelines, standards, policies and regulations and provision of more infrastructure like landfills, treatment plants, incinerators, transfer stations.

    Speaking on the occasion, UNIDO’s Country Representative, Dr David Tommy, said environmental issues are universal and require everyone’s involvement. He said UNIDO is fully committed to promoting sustainable developmental projects. He highlighted some efforts of UNIDO in the EE sector which include organising an e-waste forum a year ago in collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and the development and submission of a proposal on e-waste, which has been submitted to Global Environmental Fund (GEF) for support.

    Tommy also called for holistic approach to environmental protection. To this end, he stressed the need to set up the Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO); set up  Black Box, Registry and Advisory Council for the full implementation of the EPR in the sector. He  pledged UNIDO’s commitment to working with NESREA on EPR implementation.

    Speaking on the relationship between e-waste management and sustainable banking,   Head, Environmental Sustainability/CSR Division, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. A. C. Ifechikwu, said the Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles (NSBP), an initiative of the Bankers’ Committee, was developed to incorporate social and environmental considerations into the activities and operations of the financial sector, and has been adopted by the Nigeria Financial Sector since July 2012, with nine principles. The principles include environmental and social risk management as well as environmental and social footprint, among others.

    He said in deploying a strategy to reduce environmental carbon footprints, the three “Rs”- reduce, that is, waste minimisation/smart procurement; re-use, that is, e-waste, furniture and others. Recycle that is, paper, plastic,; and proper disposal of other wastes.

    In supporting government in e-waste management, Mr. Oluyomi Banjo, an environmental expert at the UNIDO Regional Office, listed UNIDO’s mandate to include helping to promote the greening of existing industries and creation of green industries.

    They also include the implementation of different green industry flagship programmes such as  Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) phase out; persistent organic pollutants phase out and hazardous waste management. Specific products in e-waste that are of concern include flat screens, batteries, CFCs/Fridges and air conditioners.

    In a related development, UNIDO has also organised a workshop on amending the national environmental Ozone Layer protection (OZP) regulations 2009 for the country. The workshop was organised as part of the steps towards the implementation of the project: “Demonstration Project for Disposal of Unwanted Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) in Nigeria”.

    The objectives of the workshop were to identify the gaps in the ODS regulation; inform stakeholders about planned introduction of  the mandatory destruction of unwanted ODS and  product stewardship in ODS containing equipment among others.

    Tommy said the time has come for Nigeria to be fully compliant with product stewardship in line with the EPR. He said the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the ozone layer was the first  protocol  of the United Nations to have all  its member states as signatories

    Therefore, he said Nigeria, as a signatory to the convention,as well as Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Arican Union (AU) are not left behind on recent trends.

    In her presentation on “The Role of Media in Ozone Layer Protection and Environmental Matters” by Environment Editor, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Ms Nkechi Itodo,  listed wrong content alignment in news, poor capacity of media practitioners and organisational issues as some of the challenges weighing down mass media reportage of environmental matters in the country.

    Therefore, she  urged government to champion environment programmes and projects, including funding of media’s participation in environmental conferences to boost media capacity.

    She also tasked journalists to always highlight environment-related matters as developmental issues in their reporting and analysis.

    In all, six papers were presented at the workshop.