By Fatima Saka
The Government of Nigeria is set to engage in partnerships with traditional institutions to safeguard and conserve the environment.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has affirmed that the Federal Government will persist in forming alliances with traditional institutions across the nation, particularly in the realm of safeguarding and preserving the environment by discouraging deforestation and advocating for eco-friendly cooking practices.
The Minister made this declaration during a visit from the Emir of Nasarawa and former Minister of Environment, His Royal Highness, Alh. Ibrahim Usman Jibrin on Thursday, the 16th of May, 2024.
Balarabe highlighted that the Ministry is actively addressing environmental issues, such as plastic waste, erosion, flooding, desertification, drought management, and other challenges related to climate change.
He assured the esteemed Emir, who previously held the position of Minister of Environment, that he would continue to build upon his predecessor’s accomplishments and fulfill the Ministry’s objectives in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the environment.
In a separate interaction, the Minister hosted the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E Salem Saeed, for a productive discussion at the Federal Ministry of Environment. The meeting centered around environmental matters, including the recently concluded COP28 in Dubai, UAE, plastic pollution concerns, desertification mitigation, tree planting initiatives, erosion and flood control strategies, among others.
The Minister commended the UAE for hosting the COP28 and expressed gratitude to the President of COP28, Sultan al-Jabar, for sharing the outcomes of the discussions, which included an agreement signifying the “beginning of the end”of the fossil fuel era. This agreement laid the foundation for a prompt, fair, and just transition, supported by substantial emissions reductions and increased financial backing.
Balarabe also highlighted numerous areas of potential collaboration between Nigeria and the UAE, particularly in relation to the decisions made during COP28.
Additionally, the Minister praised the UAE President for the resumption of flight services to Nigeria and the forthcoming issuance of visas to Nigerian citizens commencing on the 1st of October, 2024.
In earlier remarks, the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E Salem Saeed, extended congratulations to the Minister of Environment on his well-deserved appointment and acknowledged the commendable efforts of Nigeria during the COP28 in Dubai the previous year.
Saeed emphasized that Nigeria and the UAE are committed to continuing their collaboration and partnership in areas of shared interest concerning environmental sustainability.
It is worth noting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosted COP28 in Dubai last year under the theme: “UNITE, ACT, DELIVER.”
