…as officials advise her on ecological challenges

The minister, who assumed duty on March 6, 2014, was given the advice when she solicited the support of the staff in order to improve the nation’s environment.  The officials said that such effort would help the ministry to address the ecological problems affecting the country.According to them, although the states have been collaborating with […]

The minister, who assumed duty on March 6, 2014, was given the advice when she solicited the support of the staff in order to improve the nation’s environment.  
The officials said that such effort would help the ministry to address the ecological problems affecting the country.
According to them, although the states have been collaborating with the Federal Government in addressing environmental problems, there was the need for them to do more in that regard.  
An official in the ministry, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, observed that the problem of the environment was multi-sectoral, noting that what had been lacking was effective collaboration with the state governments.
He said: “The responsibility for managing and taking care of the environment is left in the hands of the Federal Government alone. States have not been able to do their part diligently. The minister should focus on mobilising states to work in consonance with the various policies and programmes for managing the environment.’’
The official urged the minister to attract more funding to the ministry, saying: “The environment sector suffers from inadequate financial provision compared to other sectors.’’
For instance, he said, sanitation-related sicknesses would have been prevented or drastically reduced, if adequate attention had been given to the environment.
He added: “We are talking about the Roll-Back Malaria Programme whereas the bushes that are harbouring mosquitoes that cause malaria are not giving attention. The places that these mosquitoes lay their larvae are not being treated.
“So, the minister should champion this cause and mobilise states to live up to their responsibilities to address all these issues. There are adequate and knowledgeable technical staff in the ministry that can galvanise this action and I am sure that the development partners will always be willing to assist the minister.’’
Similarly, a director in the ministry urged the minister to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and carry the staff and the media along in implementing the ministry’s policies and programmes.
According to him, this move is very important because environmental issues can only be handled through a collaborative effort.
He said: “The minister should put a lot of effort to make sure that she attracts funding from the governments and international donors. She should also pay attention to the three major ecological problems in the country — erosion in the South-East, deforestation in the North-Central, and desertification in the far North.’’
Also, another top official called on Mallam to ensure that the ministry increased its participation in international meetings and conferences.
She expressed her regret that Nigeria was ranked low in its participation at environmental conferences, noting that it has reached a stage that Kenya is given more latitude than Nigeria.
In addition, she urged the minister to ensure timely payment of its counterpart funding for regional and international projects, to enhance clean and safe environment for the citizenry. (NAN)