By: EMMANUEL AGBO, Kaduna
Following the need to address the effects of climate change in the country, the Federal Ministry of Environment has reiterated its commitment to recover Nigeria’s forest from miscreants across the country.
The commitment was made at the ongoing two days top management retreat, in Kaduna from Thursday January 11 to Friday 12, 2024 organized by the Federal Ministry of Environment for Chief Executives Of Agencies And Directors Of The Federal Ministry Of Environment.
Declaring the 2-day retreat open on the theme: “policy embodiment and prioritization of key action for a renewed hope in environmental management,” the Honourable Minister of Environment, Hon. Balarabe Abbas Lawal, disclosed that the ministry has serious issues with the forest, lamenting that it has become a den of bandits and kidnappers.
He noted that the only way to save the forest and also save the communities around, is to do something very drastic, meanwhile he disclosed that the ministry is doing its best to get enough force into the forest to clean those miscreants for the good of all.
The minister also expressed dismay over the rate at which deforestation has become the order of the day in most of Nigeria’s states, reiterating that its negative impacts on the society is overwhelming and as such must be discouraged at all costs.
“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.
He also urged heads of agencies to come up with mentorship approach towards their subordinates, rather than seeing them as rivals, even as it’s said that no leader is successful until there is a successor.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the opening ceremony, the Hon. Minister of State, 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.”
