By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Environment and Safety Management Institute (ESMI) has advocated synergy among the three tiers of government to enhance environmental safety for economic development.

The National President, ESMI, Martin Iorsamber, made the call at a seminar and induction/investiture of fellows, full and associates members of the institute in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the seminar is, “Environmental Safety for Economic Development in Nigeria’’.

Iorsamber said environmental safety was better achieved through teamwork among governments in collaboration with relevant public and private organisations.

“If every hand is on deck, definitely we will come up with solutions to the environmental challenges that we found ourselves in,” he stressed.

Speaking on the activities of the institute, Iorsamber said ESMI trained young people on fire safety, first-aid emergency management, environment and safety policies.

“The role the governments should play is to collaborate with the private sector, especially professional bodies like ours, who are interested in rebuilding the confidence of the people in solving environmental problems,’’ he said.

Earlier, the Registrar, ESMI, Mrs Evelyn Agu, said the gathering was not only to celebrate their professional advancement but also to reaffirm commitment to environmental protection and safety management as key drivers of national development.

The keynote speaker, Felix Gbem, emphasised on the need for everybody to be involved in environmental safety.

“If every individual is involved in taking care of the environment, understanding the environment, I am sure that our environment will be protected and all the risks involved will be handled,” he said.

On his part, Dr Umar Garba, the guest speaker said, “it is not just about having the right policies or regulations in place, but creating a culture of safety in every community and industry.

Garba advised the inductees to stay informed, upgrade their knowledge, adapt to new technologies and best practices that emerge going forward.

According to him, environmental and safety regulations are constantly evolving and adapting to them, would not only make them better professionals, but also contribute to the collective progress of the society.

NAN reports that the institute inducted 13 new fellows, 11 full members and 29 associates cutting across different sectors and states. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

By Polycarp Auta

The Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Diocese of Pankshin in Plateau, has donated three solar-powered boreholes to Tillengpat and Bungha Communities of Mangu Local Government Area of the state.

Bishop Michael Gokum of the Diocese, inaugurated the facilities and handed them over to the communities on Saturday.

Speaking at the event, Gokum said that the project is in collaboration with the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and funded by the Isle of the Man Government.

He said that the gesture aimed at alleviating the hardship residents of the communities go through while searching for potable water.

“For many years, our people in Tillengpat and Bungha have lived with the daily burden of unsafe and unreliable water.

“Mothers and children walked long distances in search of water; families faced illnesses caused by contaminated sources, livelihoods were disrupted and sometimes, tension arose in these communities due to water scarcity.

“But today, with these boreholes, we are witnessing a turning point, because clean water will now flow in our homes.

“Children can now spend more time in school, families can enjoy better health, and our communities can grow stronger in peace and harmony,” he said.

Gokum said that the project was about restoring dignity, promoting sanitation, environmental protection and addressing the spread of communicable disease

The bishop, who insisted that both Christians and Muslims would benefit from the facilities, said that the Catholic Church doesn’t discriminate while providing humanitarian support.

He thanked the Isle of the man government and CAFOD for the generosity, adding that the gesture would transform lives and build a community where peace and justice shall reign.

Earlier, Mr Uko Ukut, the Country Representative of CAFOD, thanked the Catholic Bishops Conference of England for granting them the approval to support JDPC in the projects.

Ukut, who promised to sustain collaboration with Pankshin diocese in the future, said the water project aimed at ensuring better days for beneficiaries.

Also speaking, Rev. Fr. Basil Kassam, the Coordinator of JDPC in the diocese, said that each of the facilities has 20,000 storage capacity.

Kassam, who called on the communities to take ownership of the projects, said that the JDPC had also constituted and trained some residents of the communities as Water Users Committee to maintain the facilities.

Speaking on behalf of the communities, the District Head of Bungha, Da John Danladi, thanked the donors for the gesture.

He promised that the facilities would be put to good use, particularly in ensuring the availability of clean water.(NAN)

Edited by Yakubu Uba

By Abigael Joshua

Dr Michael David, the Executive Director, Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), says there is a need for new laws in Nigeria to protect its people and environment.

David spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja in commemoration of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day Celebration.

He said that after 65 years of independence, Nigeria needed a law to match its current realities–robust enough to protect people, ecosystems, and future development.

“At independence in 1960, Nigeria’s environment was relatively intact; vast forest cover, healthy mangrove ecosystems in the Niger-Delta, largely clean rivers, low industrial pollution and fewer people, less urban pressure.

“Over the decades, the country has witnessed massive demographic growth from about 45 million in 1960 to more than 220 million today.

“It has witnessed rapid industrialisation, oil extraction, expansion of cities, and weak regulatory regimes have severely degraded air, water, land and biodiversity.’’

According to him, deforestation has accelerated as Nigeria loses more than 350,000 hectares of forest per year.

“Mangrove zones have been damaged by repeated oil spills since the 1950s; estimates suggest Nigeria has spilled around 13 million barrels of oil in the Niger-Delta, heavily impacting mangrove forests.

“Water pollution has become a grave issue in many mining communities and many urban rivers are contaminated by industrial effluent in levels far above WHO safety limits.

“Air quality has worsened significantly; urban centres often record PM2.5 levels that are many times above safe standards, with Port Harcourt regularly exhibiting hazardous black soot levels linked to illegal refining and gas flaring.”

He said that flooding and extreme weather had become more frequent and destructive.

“The 2022 floods destroyed over 200,000 homes, displaced more than 1.4 million people, and damaged more than 300,000 hectares of farmland.

“Soil fertility in many agricultural areas has dropped; desertification is consuming once productive lands in northern Nigeria.

“Open defecation persists; almost 48 million Nigerians practice it, with serious health and environmental consequences.

“Regulatory tools remain outdated, weak, poorly enforced, and often ill-suited to modern challenges like climate change, health impacts, and social equity.

“This is where the #ESHIA Bill (Environmental, Social, and Health Impact Assessment Bill), which has passed first reading at the House of Representatives, becomes essential.’’

He said that the current Environmental Impact Assessment Act dated from 2004 lacked sufficient teeth for present scale of development and pollution.

David said that passing the ESHIA Bill would help ensure that new infrastructure, resource extraction, industrial and urban projects were assessed not only for environmental impact, but also for health and social consequences.

“The ESHIA Bill puts the people and the communities first and seeks to embed stronger standards, including free, prior, and informed consent of affected communities.

“Also it would ensure enforceable penalties, restructure oversight agencies to monitor compliance; and integration of disaster risk reduction.

“It would enshrine rights for communities that suffer from pollution, land loss, displacement, as well as provide clearer, enforceable guidelines to prevent future degradation,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Olasunkanmi Onifade

The Dedicated Women Action and Advocacy for Rural and Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Support in Nigeria, a coalition, has called for a strategic framework to expand its reach across the 36 states.

The President of the group, Mrs Cordelia Agbo, made the call at a two-day training themed “Empowering Women Executives in the WASH Sector” on Tuesday in Abuja.

Agbo said a drafted strategy document should be developed to spell out the mission, vision, core values, roles and responsibilities, with a strong focus on accountability.

“There should be continuous follow-up with state focal persons. Each exco member should be assigned specific states to follow up and report progress.

“There should also be strategic meetings to review the document and articulate thematic issues relating to activities in each zone,” she said.

The Gender Specialist, Mrs Mary Mbakpa, stressed the need for deliberate efforts to influence policies, practices and resource allocation to ensure gender-equitable WASH services.

She said such efforts should also guarantee meaningful participation of women in decision-making structures from community to national levels.

“To build professional networks and mentorship, there must be policy influencing that is systematically planned, coordinated and integrated. This should include research, policy advocacy and public mobilisation.

“There should also be activities to shape frameworks governing water and sanitation, budget allocations for gender-responsive WASH programmes, and institutional structures that promote women’s participation in leadership,” she said.

The National Coordinator of Clean Nigeria Campaign (CNC), Mrs Chizoma Opara, said gender-inclusive WASH projects were not only about fairness, but also about effectiveness and sustainability.

“To achieve SDG 6 and Nigeria’s sanitation goals, women must be recognised and empowered as central to WASH transformation.

“Women are not just beneficiaries. They are drivers of success in projects. Sanitation campaigns gain momentum when women’s lived experiences are at the centre.

”Utilities that mainstream gender also perform better in customer satisfaction and service equity,” she said.

The National Secretary of the coalition, Ms Felicia Ngaji-Usibe, appealed for support from development partners, government agencies and the private sector.

She said such support should include financial, technical and institutional backing to strengthen the coalition’s initiatives.

NAN reports that the Dedicated Women Action and Advocacy for Rural and Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Support in Nigeria (NG-DEWASH) operates under the umbrella of the Africa Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA).

The network was established with support from AfWASA and the Gates Foundation during the AfWASA Congress in Kenya in 2016.

At inception, the donor provided NG-DEWASH with an opportunity to compete for grant funding.

The Nigerian network successfully secured a grant of USD 3,000 to empower women executives in the WASH sector.

Since then, women professionals from various states and utilities across Nigeria have benefited from several capacity-building initiatives.

Through AfWASA’s global platforms and the Gates Foundation, they have also received training in diverse fields, equipping them to contribute more effectively to the WASH sector. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

By Tosin Kolade

The Federal Government on Tuesday said Nigeria has made progress in providing safe water and sanitation, but warned that stronger commitment is needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal Six (SDG 6) by 2030.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said this in Abuja at the Annual Review Meeting of the third phase of the Accelerating Sanitation and Water for All (ASWA III) project.

Utsev, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Richard Pheelangwa, said ASWA had contributed to measurable improvements in the sector, in spite of ongoing regional challenges.

He noted that ASWA II, launched in 2019, was implemented in six Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Adamawa, Yobe, and Borno states.

“In spite of conflict in the region, ASWA II provided safe drinking water to 900,000 people and sanitation services to 775,880.

“More than 450,000 people were sensitised on handwashing,” he said.

He added that 35 schools and 40 healthcare facilities were equipped with WASH facilities, and Nigeria’s first sector-wide sustainability checks were also conducted under the programme.

ASWA III, he explained, was designed to build on those gains by delivering climate-resilient WASH services to at least 360,000 people in Adamawa and Kaduna States.

“The new phase will focus on system strengthening, clean energy use, market-based delivery, and partnerships, while remaining flexible to address security risks,” he said.

Citing the 2021 WASHNORM survey, Utsev said 67 per cent of Nigerians now had access to basic water supply, and 151 LGAs across 21 states had been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).

He acknowledged improvements in hygiene and handwashing practices but stressed that more must be done to meet the SDG 6 targets within the next five years.

He urged Adamawa and Kaduna states to take ASWA III implementation seriously and exceed the achievements of the previous phase.

Utsev commended the Government of the Netherlands, UNICEF, and other partners for their continued collaboration and support to the WASH sector in Nigeria.

“We assure you of our commitment to ensuring every investment yields value for the Nigerian people,” he said while declaring the meeting open.

The Dutch Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Bengt Van Loosdrecht, applauded Nigeria’s progress under ASWA II and reaffirmed his country’s support for the WASH agenda.

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Waafa Saeed, said the country’s WASH story was changing, with stronger government commitment and community participation driving improvements.

UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of WASH, Dr Jane Bevan, and Mr Peem Vandermalen from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs both underscored the importance of access to clean water and sanitation as a basic human right.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that eight African countries, including Nigeria, are participating in ASWA III, an initiative supported by the Netherlands and UNICEF to expand WASH services in underserved communities. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Olasunkanmi Onifade

A coalition, Dedicated Women Action and Advocacy for Rural and Urban Water Hygiene and Sanitation Support in Nigeria, has stressed the vital role of women in achieving sustainable development in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector.

The President of the group, Mrs Cordelia Agbo, stated this at a two-day training with the theme “Empowering Women Executives in the WASH Sector” on Monday in Abuja.

Agbo said the growing threat of water scarcity was putting pressure on states to ensure water security for human and economic development.

“Water is the source of life and an indispensable resource for national economic growth. It drives health, hygiene, agriculture, energy and transport.

“In contrast, scarcity frustrates development potential and undermines the well-being of communities,” she said.

She explained that women and children often bear the burden of fetching water in households, a responsibility that denies many, especially the girl child, opportunities for education and productive activities.

According to her, giving women a stronger voice in decision-making and organisational leadership on water management would enhance sustainability in the sector.

Agbo urged participants to return to their various utilities to work towards establishing state chapters of the coalition, noting that chapters had so far been inaugurated in the FCT, Enugu, Ogun, Imo, Niger, Taraba, Kaduna and Delta states.

The Focal Person of the Africa Water Supply and Sanitation Association, Mr Francis Umemezie, said equipping women with leadership tools was key to stronger governance and improved service delivery.

He added that the World Bank was committed to supporting inclusive transformation in the sector, stressing that diversity in leadership promotes innovation and more balanced decision-making.

Also speaking, the Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh, said women remain central to water management, hygiene practices and community health.

Ugoh was represented by the Deputy Director of Hygiene Promotion, Mrs Ayaba Kogbara.

“Across Nigeria, 69 per cent of households depend on women and girls to fetch water, often from long distances and under difficult conditions.

“Yet despite this heavy responsibility, women remain underrepresented in decision-making spaces where policies and investments are shaped,” she said.

Similarly, the President of the Nigeria Water Supply Association, Mr Dubagari Abisabo, said the training was a welcome step toward empowering women leaders to drive sustainable change in their communities.

A gender specialist, Mrs Mary Mbakpa, stressed that addressing Nigeria’s water crisis without women’s voices was impossible.

The National Secretary of the coalition, Ms Felicia Ngaji-Usibe, explained that the training was designed to strengthen the leadership confidence and decision-making skills of women executives in the WASH sector. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade