Press Releases

Our Environment Needs More Urgent Attention - Governors

May 4, 2010 - State Governors who took part in the Governors session of the Second Lagos Climate Change Summit 2010 on Tuesday called for more concerted efforts from governmental and non-governmental organizations in tackling the menace of climate change.
 
The participants at the Governor’s panel with the theme roundtable discussion: titled “Developing Subnational Action on Climate Change in Nigeria” which was held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island and moderated by Brent Sadler, an International Correspondent of CNN included host Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Architect. Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Professor Amos Ituamah (SAN) and representatives of five other State Governors.
 
In his address, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola said there should be clear rules of engagement about how the Federal Government disburses the ecological funds because curiously some states get assistance for ecological disasters while others never get.
 
He said part of the consideration for convening the Summit was the need to emphasize the need for multi party and non- partisan co-operation as heads of sub-national Governments and first responders to displaced persons and municipal emergencies with a view to preparing a common front to confront imminent challenges on a collaborative basis.
 
His words: “This is not a doomsday gathering but a serious wake up call to the biggest threat ever to confront the human race without discrimination”. 
 
He said more importantly the extents of the impact of the continued devastation to the climate and the environment has yet to be fully comprehended, adding however that  But it is now unarguable that the global economy will be adversely affected, if nothing is done to reverse or mitigate this slide towards the loss of the planet.
 
“Most recently because of a volcanic eruption in Iceland whose lava was caught in a cloud of freezing ice as a result of a very bad European winter, the airspace of the United Kingdom over which the wind had carried the frozen particles of ash was closed to all airplanes”, he added .
 
He explained that the crux of the Summit theme and the involvement of other Governors is to ensure that they are drivers and agents of the change that is desperately needed, because it would not be fair enough if a few people try a lot and some others try a little or not at all.
 
He said it is hoped that the Summit would create a competitive bar of assessment among the states which would ensure that the whole country can act locally in order to be active globally.
 
He said the activities of some governmental agencies have contributed to pushing some states to the precipice through unwholesome practices and pollution, adding that he believes that the summit represents a first step in the right direction.
 
Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who admitted that Edo State might not have done enough due to the activities of leaders before him insisted that Nigerians need to be enlightened about the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling.
 
Comrade Oshiomhole who said currently the government plants at least 250, 000 trees annually, explains that there is the need to take the campaign to every nook and cranny of the country for the people to be aware.
 
The Edo Governor said ignorance is playing a major role because more than 50 percent of the cars and vehicles that ply Nigerian roads are vehicles that should not be allowed to ply them because of the carbon dioxide emission from them.
 
He also called for a revisit of the legal framework to make the sanctions against tree felling more biting, adding that currently the provisions of the law are not deterring enough.
 
He said it is lamentable that there are no deliberate measures in place to take care of the environment and also called for a revisit of the management of the ecological funds.
 
Kaduna State Governor, Architect Namadi Sambo in his submission at the event identified deforestation as a major problem of Kaduna State, stressing that this is a result of age long traditions of using wood to cook by the people.
 
He explained that several measures have been put in place by the State Government to tackle the menace and this includes plans to plant at least two million trees yearly and developing hydro powerplants as well as alternative sources of energy in Kaduna State.
 
He added that what is needed is capital intensive and would need the combined efforts of financial institutions and agencies both locally and internationally to keep the menace at bay.  
 
While giving an account of the experience in Borno State, Governor Ali Modu Sheriff said Borno State is one of the most affected States because of its location and extreme weather conditions which has sometimes risen to as high as 49 degrees centigrade this year.
 
Governor Sheriff informed that the State has already enacted a law prohibiting the felling of trees as one of the measures of preserving the environment just as it is also embarking on massive media enlightenment to sensitize the people on the need to plant new trees.
 
He said there is a need for all the States to collaborate to fight the menace and commended the initiative of the Lagos State Government on the summit adding that this explains his personal attendance.
 
Delta State Governor, Dr Uduaghan who was represented by his Deputy, Professor Amos Ituamah (SAN) warned that if concerted efforts are not deployed to the fight against the devastation of the environment, man may wake up one day to discover that he has been consumed.
 
He said specifically in Delta State, pollution has wreaked a considerable havoc, leading to a displacement of a lot of the people, informing that this necessitated the shifting of attention from oil to Agriculture by the State Governor.
 
The Abia State Governor, Mr Theodore Orji who was represented by the State Commissioner for Environment, Engineer Charles Ojukwu said erosion is a major problem affecting the people, adding that there are over a thousand erosion identified cases, and may lead to the creation of environmental refugees.
 
He said despite the myriads of problems the state has not been able to access the ecological funds and has been making do with the little it could raise on its own.
 
According to him, part of the measures adopted by the Government is the creation of 19 forest reserves to plant trees and replace some of the trees which have been illegally felled in the state.
 
The Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Muazu Babangida Aliyu who was represented by Alhaji Abubakar Sanni Bello identified deforestation as a major challenge for Niger State because of the penchant of the people to cut trees for cooking.
 
He added that the present laws against tree felling provides penalties that are too soft and do not deter people from engaging in the act, adding that what is needed is a review of the penalties.
 
Governor Aliyu noted that the State has already made it mandatory for every public officer to  plant trees and specifically ensure that five new trees are planted for every one cut down, adding however that there is total prohibition against cutting of economic trees.
 
While presenting the Ondo State position, the representative of the Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Mr Rotimi Adelola admitted that the State still has a long way to go in the fight against the effects of climate change.
 
He revealed that part of strategies adopted by the State Government is to engage in recycling of waste products to make them biogradable and reusable, adding that Ondo has also embarked on shoreline embarkation.    
 
While giving an insight into why the bank is supporting the programme, the Group Managing Director of First City Monument Bank, Mr Ladi Balogun said the bank considers the environment as a major point of interest in terms of corporate social responsibility and allocation of resources.
 
He said the bank has deliberately supported projects that it believes can add value to the environment and that this explains why it is supporting the Eko Atlantic Project which would also save Lagos from flooding problems.
 
Earlier in his address, the Minister of the Environment, Mr John Odey who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Sam Olorunfemi commended the Lagos State Government for spearheading issues of climate change and efficient waste management.
 
He said it is imperative for states and Local Governments to shore up their activities in afforestation so as to enhance their potentials to benefit from the forest carbon markets.
 
He informed that carbon market represents a new financing source for rejuvenating dry lands, providing alternative sources of energy and making drought-prone areas more resilient to climatic change 
 
He said the impacts of climatic change across sectoral lines will require considerable efforts on the part of the State Governments, tasking their capacity to solve problems, deliver services and complement the efforts of the Federal Government at sustainable development of the country.
 
Earlier in his keynote speech on “Global Climate Change: Challenges and Prospects after Copenhagen”, the Minister of Energy in Sierra Leone, Professor Ogunlade Davidson who was represented by Professor Alo said between 1970 and 2004, the green gas emission has increased by 70 percent in the country.
 
He said all sectors such as transport, energy supply and even the new buildings that daily spring up contribute to the global warming.
 
Professor Davidson explained that while it may seem impracticable to ask that people should stop erecting new buildings that also come with heavy generating sets, what is needed is to find a nexus between the need for economic development and what is emitted into the atmosphere.
 
He also called for the investment in bio-fuel as one of the major means of stemming the tide of global warming.
 
In the second paper on “Climate Change and Public Health” delivered by Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Akinyinka Omigbodun, he said climate change is exacerbated by human activity which leads to green house effects or global warming.
 
He said there is a variability in the effects of the green house effects from one part of the country because while some parts experience wild conditions some make do with very harsh weather conditions.
 
The dignitaries including Deputy Governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan and members of the Executive Council later moved over to commission the Atlantic City showroom at the Bar Beach.