We will continue to pursue dev’t initiatives for the good of our people- Niger governor
By Femi Ogunshola
By Femi Ogunshola
By Abigael Joshua
Environmental experts say recycling of wastes is the best way to achieve environmental sustainability and also convert waste to wealth.
Some experts spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
Dr Onyagbodor Peter, South-South Coordinator Association for Environmental Impact Assessment of Nigeria (AEIAN), said there was need for government to come up with robust decisions to encourage waste recycling in Nigeria.
“We have made some progress in wastes recycling but there are still a lot to do; we have some companies in Nigeria that are into plastic recycling, metal recycling.
“If you go round Abuja, it looks fairly clean and neat but what about other mega cities in the country Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri, Sapele you still see heaps of cabbages in the environment.
“These cabbages are not quickly taken out of the environment and when they are taken out what is the fate of those wastes in the environment most times they are not quickly recycled,” he asked.
Mr Robert Eze, Chief Operating Officer PGM Nigeria Ltd, an environmental management and consultancy company, said that though Nigeria was trying in the area of recycling wastes, a lot needed to be done.
“Recently, we were doing an environmental assessment programme for Abia, where the government intends to develop a waste recycling plant; I don’t know the state of that project now.’’
He said that government needed to invest in the recycling of wastes to curb wastes littering all over the places.
“For me, it is a gold mine; there is a lot to tap there; investors need to invest in that line; there are lots of things we throw away in this country that we shouldn’t,” Eze said.
Mr Osi Braimah, Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), said that the board was presently handling approximately 500 tonnes of mixed wastes per day.
“These include pet bottles, organic and food materials as well as all forms of domestic wastes.
“We really encourage recycling because this helps us to increase the life span of the dumpsites; the dumpsite that we use now is about 90 hectares and it is filling up every day.
“If residents of the FCT begin to implement wastes recycling minimisation and reuse to extend the life of the dumpsite, they can also earn money; pet bottles are sold for a fee and papers can be recycled; it is something we strongly encourage in the FCT.’’
The director said that there were scavengers at their Goza dumpsite that separated the pet bottles and other recyclable materials and ship to the recycling companies both in Abuja and other parts of the country mainly Kaduna and Kano.
“In the Life Camp area, we have a pilot project that has been on for three years dealing with separation at source we encourage residents in Life Camp and Gwarinpa to separate wastes at source into various components.
“Eventually, companies come to pick up the wastes for a fee; we have also engaged companies like Chanja Datti recycling Co. Ltd among others,’’ he said.
He said that the companies had their hubs within districts in Wuse 2, jabi and other areas where one could drop one’s recycling materials for pick up.
On her part, Mrs Blessing Ewa, Founder and Director of Youth Advocates for Sustainable and Inclusive Future, said the NGO was not directly involved in recycling.
“What we do is to train women in the community on plastic waste management; they sort out plastics and sell it to the recycling agencies that we link them with,” she said. (NAN)
Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo
By Bukola Adewumi
Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, has promised university scholarship for 37 labourers involved in the construction of resettlement houses for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in Nguro Soye village, Bama Local Government Area (LGA).
Zulum made the promise during an inspection visit to the construction site on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor had, during interactions with workers at the construction site, discovered that some of them, 37 in number, had obtained their senior secondary school certificates.
He, therefore, said that any of them who could pass the tertiary education examination and secures admission into any university would be fully sponsored to pursue their education.
“Let me know how many of you have completed secondary school and we will sponsor you to pursue undergraduate degree courses at the university,” he said.
NAN reports that the governor also assessed structures destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents at Umar Ibn Ibrahim College of Education, Science and Technology (UIICEST), Bama.
He directed the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Ibrahim Idriss, to make an in-depth assessment of damages at the staff quarters and students’ hostels.
He noted that rehabilitation of the destroyed facilities would pave the way for students and staff to fully occupy the college which currently operates on a skeletal basis. (NAN)
Edited by Deborah Coker/Vincent Obi
The Federal Government on Thursday announced closure of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos starting from midnight of Saturday, Oct. 21 to midnight of Sunday Oct. 22 to carry out repairs.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, in a statement, said the government was ready to begin comprehensive rehabilitation works on the bridge starting with repairs of the critical portions.
Kesha said the federal government wished to inform the motoring public that it was currently working on plans to carry out comprehensive repairs of Third Mainland Bridge.
“However, in order to alleviate the pains currently being experienced on the bridge, the Ministry would be carrying out palliative works on the most critically failed sections along the Adeniji bound carriageway on Sunday, Oct. 22 preparatory to the comprehensive repair works,” she said.
She advised motorists to cooperate with the traffic management officials by obeying and observing all diversions as directed for seamless movement.
“However, motorists are encouraged to use alternative routes where possible during the period of the palliative works as the Adeniji bound of the bridge will be closed to traffic from Saturday, Oct. 21 to Sunday, 22nd 12.00 midnight,” she said. (NAN)
Edited by Salif Atojoko
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By Hajara Leman
Gombe State government has commended women farmers in the state over their contributions to boosting food security in the state and country.
Mr Barnabas Malle, the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, gave the commendation while speaking in Gombe on Wednesday at an event to commemorate the 2023 World Food Day in the state.
Malle said that small-scale women farmers had made immense contributions to both the federal and the state government’s efforts at boosting food security and ensuring availability of food in the country.
He said women were critical stakeholders in agricultural value chain and had been helping to process harvested crops to improve the nutrition of households in the state.
The commissioner said that it was in view of such contributions that the state government regarded them as partners in the sector, adding that without women in agriculture, the success so far recorded would not have been possible.
“As you are aware, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya’s administration has prioritised agriculture sector and women are major stakeholders in this administration because of their contributions to the sector.
“Huge sums of money have been allocated and expended on the purchase and distribution of assorted fertilisers, improved seedlings and agro-chemicals and other equipment annually in order to achieve sustainable food availability in the state.
“Women and youths are major partners in progress to this government whose contributions cannot be over emphasised.
“We are aware that the Small- Holder women farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) is one of the associations that empowers women farmer groups.
“The increase of budgetary allocation to smallholder women farmers from N40 million in 2022 to N70 million in 2023 was not a coincidence but a deliberate action to ensure that SWOFON has carried out its mandate conveniently and successfully,” he said.
Malle urged women farmers in the state to continue to put in their best by embracing modern farming techniques and ensure use of improved seedlings in efforts to sustain the successes so far recorded by the government.
Speaking earlier, Mrs Airudia Mamman, the state coordinator of SWOFON, Gombe State chapter, commended the Gov. Yahaya-led administration for prioritising agriculture through the state government’s deliberate intervention in providing farm inputs to farmers annually.
Mamman said that members of SWOFON had played key roles in boosting food production in the state and had been alleviating poverty amongst women in rural areas.
She, however, urged the government to ensure timely release of funds allocated to smallholder farmers in the state annual budget to SWOFON to enable it implement its work plan towards boosting food security and reducing poverty.
According to her, there is the need for the government to increase allocation to agriculture sector and ensure timely release of the budget to meet the 10 per cent Maputo Declaration Commitment on Agriculture and Food Security.
She also urged the government to constitute a gender steering committee which will include SWOFON for the implementation of the Gender Policy in the agriculture sector in a bid to offer equal access and gender- sensitive approaches towards food security.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2023 World Food Day which was marked on Monday is, “Water is Life, Water is Food: Leave no One Behind.’’
The event to commemorate the day in the state was organised by the Gombe State chapter of SWOFON, Hope Foundation for the Lonely in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry with support from ActionAid Nigeria.(NAN)
Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo
By Femi Ogunshola