Climate Change: Ministry of environment reiterates commitment to recover forest from miscreants
http://www.newsportng.com.ng Federal Ministry of Environment has reiterated its commitment to recover forest from miscreants to halt criminal activities.
The Honourable Minister of Environment, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, made the commitment
during the ongoing top management retreat, held in Kaduna from Thursday 11th- Friday 12th January, 2024.
Declaring the 2-days retreat open on the theme: “policy embodiment and prioritization of key action for a renewed hope in environmental management,” Balarabe disclosed that the ministry has serious issues with the forest, lamented that it had become a den of bandits, mulchers and kidnappers.
He noted that the only way to save the forest and also save the communities around it is to do something very drastic, meanwhile he disclosed that the ministry is doing her best to get enough force into the forest to clean those miscreants for the good of all.
Hon. Balarabe also expressed dismay over the rate at which deforestation had become the order of the day in most of the Nigerian states, reiterating that its negative impacts on the society is overwhelming and as such must be discouraged at all costs.
Also, speaking on the killings of wild animals particularly the killings of two elephants in Maiduguri, Borno state last year, the Minister said it was an international outcry and they are doing everything possible to manage the situation.
“There is the need to develop strategies and devise comprehensive and multi-faceted approaches towards developing and increasing the promotion of Sustainable Forest Management practices nationwide.
“The only way we can save the forest and also save the communities around the forest is to do something very drastic and we are starting with that because we need to get enough force into the forest to clean these miscreants that have turned our forest into something else.
“The Ministry has signed a performance bond with Mr. President on 18-point deliverables in the priority areas that relate to our mandates. Most of our deliberations would be centered around the 18- point deliverables which is also in line with the 8-points Agenda of this administration.
“By the end of this retreat, it is hoped that strategies to implement the 18 deliverables of the Ministry would be proffered and implemented by all participants.” He said.
Some of the 18-points deliverables includes: To develop and Implement a Capacity, Support the implementation of National Climate Change Policy, Develop and Implement a Capacity Building Programme on Climate Finance with Allied Institutions or Agencies Accelerate implementation of the Ogoni Clean-up, Reclaim Brownfields and Greyfields into Sustainable Livelihood Support System Across the Country, Issuance of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, (ESIA) among others.
Speaking with Journalists shortly after the event, the Hon. Minister of States, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Iziaq Salako, said he had personally put up some green resolutions to achieve a healthy environment and urged everyone to do same.
He said, “I am undertaking that on annual basis, I will personally plant 50 trees, take measures to reduce my air travels, reduce consumption of animal products, I will also be less destructive to nature in my construction. On the average, anytime am doing any construction atleast 30% of the land area will be set aside for nature.
“I am personally going to use renewable energy as alternative to public power supply, I am going to be using more of recyclable items, no more single used bags, So these are messages I believe Nigerians need to imbibe. If you imbibe these messages, the challenge of flooding, desertification, erosion, physical challenge of climate change and environmental pollution will be more comprehensively addressed.”
