Environment
Kebbi to Tackle Flood, Emergencies With N1.5bn Fund

The Kebbi Government says it has earmarked N1.5 billion in anticipation of any emergencies that may arise from the envisaged flooding and other related emergencies in the state.
The Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Sani Dododo, made this known on Friday in Birnin Kebbi, while briefing newsmen on the agency’s level of preparedness to handle major emergencies.
Dododo said that the state must be ready to tackle any emergencies, in view of the alert from the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) that Kebbi would be among the 13 states to witness serious flooding this year.
He said, “The agency also received similar report from Niamey in Niger Republic that six of nine countries that make up River Basin Authority have released water into the Nigerian River Niger and Benue since Sept. 6, making the water level to rise to 6.26 cubic meters.”
Dododo said the agency was fully prepared to contend with any case of flooding and other related situations in the state.
“About N1.5 billion has been approved by Gov. Atiku Bagudu and the state government has also provided most of the items required for resettlement of possible victims, such as clothing materials, food items, fertilizer and chemicals.
According to him, as part of the measures put up by SEMA, stakeholders have been intimated about the situation.
The SEMA boss urged the communities living in riverine areas and flood-prone areas to relocate to higher planes.
“We have been meeting all stakeholders so that they can create awareness to the general public to relocate from the river banks to safer areas.
“We will continue to seek the services of the media, traditional leaders, religious leaders, politicians and local government administrators to enlighten the public on the possibility of flooding in Kebbi,” the chairman said. (NAN).
Environment
NPC Partners Media for Credible, Shccessful Census in Kaduna

The National Population Commission (NPC) says it is in partnership with journalists on effective reporting of the 2023 population and housing census in Kaduna State.
Abdulmalik Durunguwa, Federal Commissioner of NPC, said this at the one-day capacity building workshop for journalists on effective reporting of the 2023 census, on Friday in Kaduna.
According to him, the media is integral to the sensitisation of the masses, which necessitated the training for journalists.
He said the census was a national event, and it was the responsibility of every citizen to participate by presenting themselves to be counted,
Represented by Adama Othman, a Director in the commission, he said the exercise would count on journalists’ support in educating, informing and sensitising the people of the state.
Durunguwa said the journalists would do this on the commission’s processes and methodology for the conduct of 2023 population and housing census.
” Census is everybody’s business, we cannot be sucessful without the media, so it is the duty of journalists to transmit the information to the general public.”
Gambo Santos, Secretary, Kaduna chapter, Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), commended the commission, giving assurance that journalists in the state would effectively report the activities related to the census.
On his part, Suliman Ibrahim, Press officer, National Orientation Agency, said the training was timely in ensuring that journalists understood the important processes of the census for effective reporting.(NAN)
Environment
AU Ends 36th Summit,Appoints Nigeria Host of Sahel Climate Fund Secretariat

By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja
Nigeria being the giant of Africa’s economy has been chosen by the Heads of State and Government of the Sahel Region Climate Commission (SRCC) to host the Secretariat of the Sahel Climate Fund.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Friday, February 17, 2023 declared Nigeria’s interest to host the headquarters of the Sahel Climate Fund and readiness to provide all necessary amenities.
A communiqué issued at the end of the second conference of Heads of State and Government of SRCC, held on the margins of 36th AU Summit, also approved the appointment of Issifi Boureim of Niger Republic as the Executive Secretary of the Commission.
Boureim, until his appointment, was the Coordinator of the Transitory Operational Framework of the Commission.
His appointment is for a non-renewable period of three years, without the possibility of candidacy for future terms of office.
The “Sahel Climate Fund” is the financial body of the Sahel Region Climate Commission (SRCC).
The body is one of the three climate Commissions for Africa created in Marrakech, Morocco in 2016 at the Summit of African Heads of State and Government, organised at the initiative of King of Morocco, on the sidelines of the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Among other decisions by leaders of member countries during the mini-summit in Addis Ababa include the adoption of the methods of contributions from the States for the financing of the operations of the Executive Secretariat and the Sahel Climate Fund as well as for the participation in the 1st recapitalization of the said Fund.
A panel of Heads of State comprising President Buhari, King Mohammed VI of Morocco, President Alassane Quattara of Cote d’Ivoire and General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno of Chad was established to support the work of the President of the Commission.
The communique also named eminent personalities as Ambassadors for advocacy and the mobilization of resources for the financing of climate related programmes and actions in the region.
The Ambassadors are Issoufou Mahamadou, former President of the Republic of Niger and first president of the Commission, Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Tidjane Thiam, Ibrahim Hassane Mayaki, MO Ibrahim, Aliko Dangote, Ibrahima Thiaw, Paul Kammogne Fokam and Mossadeck Bally.
Environment
Gombe Govt Embarks on $32m Erosion Control Project – Official

The Gombe State Government says it has concluded arrangements for the implementation of a 32 million dollars erosion control project, to address land degradation and other environmental challenges.
The Newsmen report that the project tagged “Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) is being implemented with the support of the World Bank.
The Project Coordinator, Mr Sani Jauro stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Gombe, Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar III, on Friday in Gombe.
He said the visit was to seek for the royal father’s support ahead of the project launch, adding that the state had secured approval for the implementation of the project with the support of Gov.
Inuwa Yahaya.The Coordinator said the World Bank aporoved 18-month work plan of the project at the cost of 32 million dollars, adding the state government had contributed its counter part fund to facilitate smooth execution of the project.
He that 31 kilometers of drains would be constructed to control gullies at Federal College of Education (Technical) – Arawa – Angwan Uku – Railway – Doma communities.
“In view of the fact that land degradation and erosion negatively affect food production, livelihoods and the soil quality.
“The Inuwa Yahaya’s administration prioritised projects aimed at addressing such environment-related challenges.
“Aside addressing the erosion challenges, there is the agriculture component of the project which seeks to engage key stakeholders towards harnessing the irrigation potentials of the state to boost food security,” he said.
The project, he said, would create job opportunities for the youths through this component as several hundreds of hectares would be cultivated.
He said that part of the requirement of the project was active engagement of community leaders to create awareness and mobilise support for its effective implementation at the grassroots.
Jauro commended the governor for his commitment towards addressing erosion, land degradation and other environmental challenges in the state.
“Under the Yahaya-led administration, the partnership of the state government and World Bank assisted project of Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) had addressed a N2.9 billion erosion project in Gombe State University.
“That particular intervention saved a lot of the state’s varsity infrastructures threatened by erosion; this is commendable and we appreciate the effort of the governor”.
Responding, Shehu-Abubakar pledged support to projects designed to address social, economic and environmental challenges to help improve the lives and livelihood of the people of the state.
He said with the impact of climate change around the world, it was important for such projects to be supported, “so I support the project 100 per cent.
“My doors are always open, and I will also send out the message to ensure the success of the project for the benefit of our people.” (NAN)