The Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal has assured stakeholders of his commitment to mitigate all environmental challenges nationwide.
Balaràbe stated this in Abuja at the third Quarter Citizens and Stakeholders Engagement on the achievements of the Ministry’s projects and programmes since the inception of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR’s administration.
The Minister said the event was meant to roll out the major achievements of the Ministry, implementation of Policies, Programs, and Projects for environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and economic development in Nigeria, such as the National Adaptation Program (NAP), the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation, Forest Degradation, the Green Bond Program, and a host of others.
Balarabe used the meeting to highlight the strategic initiatives undertaken by the ministry, challenges encountered, and the way forward in achieving a greener and more sustainable future for the Country in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President
Some of the interventions of the Ministry include Planting of 10 million trees nationwide in collaboration with the Forestry Dept, NAGGW, and ACReSAL to ensure biodiversity, combat deforestation, and desertification.
He further noted that the Ministry is in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with a view to enhancing the enforcement of environmental laws.
Also, Balarabe revealed that the Ministry established 195km shelter belts in 8 Northern States, constructed over 4602 solar street lights, distributed 6600 improved super safer cooking stoves, and 130 safer pressured pumps to discourage deforestation in rural communities.
In addition, issuance of 95 percent accuracy of flood early warning alert every 5 days through an automated web-based flood early warning system nationwide, execution of 238 major flood gully erosion control projects across the country.
The Ministry further launched the Agroforestry project by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) with the Republic of Cameroon and a cooperation framework agreement on trans-boundary ecosystem conservation and sustainable management of Forestry and wildlife research, distribution of 5253 mini solar systems in various communities across 11 frontline states.
The Ministry also commissioned 13 operational water treatment stations in Ogoni land, 100 beds specialist hospital and 40 in Buan cottage hospital at 95 percent completion to address health related issues in Ogoni land under HYPREP project to mention but a few.