Chevron Reiterates Commitment To Partnership For Sustainable Development

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has said that it is committed to partnership with various stakeholders including the communities neighbouring its areas of operations in the Niger Delta, for sustainable development. CNL is the operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and CNL. The company affirmed that it is engaging with relevant stakeholders including the protesters at its Terminal and Escravos Gas—To-Liquid (“EGTL”) jetties, community leaders, traditional rulers, the Board of Trustees (“BOTs”) of the Warri Onshore Host Community Development Trust (“HCDT”), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (“NUPRC”), the Delta State Government, and other critical stakeholders to ensure the peaceful vacation of the protesters who have blocked access to the Terminal and EGTL jetties since November 21, 2023.   The protesters are demanding for the renaming of the Warri Kingdom Onshore Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) and involvement in the nomination of additional persons for inclusion on the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the HCDT. In addition, they are requesting for mobilization of their community workers for the EGTL Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) activities. CNL’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinn reaffirms CNL’s strict compliance with applicable laws and regulations. “As a law-abiding corporate citizen, CNL is committed and continues to make progress in the operationalization of the respective HCDTs in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. We continue to collaborate with the relevant stakeholders, including community leaders and traditional rulers towards the operationalization of the HCDTs. Also, CNL is committed to ensuring the participation of community workers in the EGTL TAM in line with the manpower mobilization plan”, he said. Esimaje stated that contrary to untrue media reports about some protesters that are allegedly missing, verifiable reports on ground indicate that none of the protesters are missing.  He reiterated CNL’s priority on the safety of the people, the environment, and assets in all its operations and noted that CNL will continue to engage the relevant stakeholders to resolve the issues amicably. “CNL advocates respect for the rule of law and use of constructive dialogue in the resolution of all issues,” he concluded.

Blue Economy Top Agenda As Jamoh, Pauli Meet In Abuja

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has met with Professor Gunter Pauli to discuss how Nigeria can advance its Blue Economy.  Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA Osagie Edward, in a statement said, the Abuja meeting is a follow up to the session the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, had with Professor Pauli, where the need for the NIMASA DG to meet with experts like Gunter Pauli, was highlighted. Jamoh noted that having Professor Pauli interphase with stakeholders of the new Ministry would definitely help develop viable policies for the smooth take-off of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry. “I had the opportunity to meet the man that formulated the global policies around Blue Economy, and we have discussed various ways to harness the resources in the Nigerian waters in a sustainable manner. He has expressed his willingness to work with the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to formulate policies that will help Nigerians begin to enjoy the gains of the establishment of the Ministry,” Jamoh said. On his part, Prof Pauli said he is willing to assist the Nigerian government develop policies around the Blue Economy for the benefit of Nigerians. Prof. Pauli, an economist and entrepreneur, created models of the Blue Economy, which is now a global concept. He has worked with many countries to draw policies for their blue economies.

FG Inaugurates Lagos P-CNGi Pilot Conversion Centres

The Federal Government has inaugurated a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles pilot conversion centre in Lagos State, through the Presidential-CNG Initiative (P-CNGi). Mr Micheal Oluwagbemi, Chief Executive Officer of P-CNGi, while speaking at inauguration of the FEMADAC Station on Saturday, described the step as significant development. Oluwagbemi said the CNG centre would bring more environmentally sustainable and economically viable future for Nigeria. The facility is situated at KM 42, Lekki-Epe The P-CNGi Steering Committee has announced that seven CNG conversion centres have been established in the country. He said the initiative had also at the weekend handed over converted buses to State House in Abuja. Oluwagbemi said the event was immense significance for Nigerians and the global movement towards responsible energy choices. “Today, as we officially open the Lagos Conversion Centre, we go beyond the inauguration of a facility; we extend a hand to a greener, more sustainable, and affordable future. “We are not just changing how we fuel our vehicles; we are changing lives, one job at a time. “The commissioning of the first of Lagos P-CNGi Pilot Conversion Centres is historic, as it is the first of many such facilities planned under the P-CNGi initiative,” Oluwagbemi said. The engineer said that the initiative with the theme: “Energy Revolution: Powering Tomorrow, Today,” represented Nigeria’s commitment to transitioning to cleaner and more affordable energy solutions. The P-CNGi chief executive officer said that CEO said that the conversion centre was not only a symbol of Nigeria’s dedication to environmental responsibility, but also a beacon of hope for its citizens. He said that the initiative would create jobs and greener opportunities. “More than 1,000 of such centres are planned nationwide in the next few years, with 55,000 conversions planned under the Palliative Program that have kicked off, designed to reduce the cost of transportation, especially mass transit for poor Nigerians. “This works by collaborating with private sector is to expand the conversion centre network of Nigeria from seven to at least 70, while creating over 2,000 jobs converting vehicles from PMS to CNG Bifuel that runs cheaper, cleaner and better. “By embracing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology, the initiative addresses the twin challenges of sustainability and fiscal responsibility, which have become integral in the modern world. “This initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to easing the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians by reducing energy costs,” Oluwagbemi said. According to him, the conversion of vehicles to CNG is not just a transition to cleaner energy, it is a promise to generate employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth. The CEO said that the inauguration aligned with the overarching goal of P-CNGi to foster innovation in the energy sector, ultimately benefitting the people of Nigeria. He added: “In a world where environmental consciousness and responsible energy choices are paramount, P-CNGi’s efforts underscore Nigeria’s commitment to leading this global movement. “The initiatives programme director aptly noted, “Challenges will emerge, but with our unwavering commitment, innovative spirit, and collaborative efforts, we are poised to overcome them.”

Nigeria Lost $22.9bn To Gas Flares In 10 Years -NOSDRA

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is to part the Nigeria Upstream Regulatory Commission ( NUPRC) and Nigerian Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to boost revenue generation through proper management of gas flares in line with global best practice. This is in a bid to arrest huge revenue losses recorded and enhance revenue generation into government coffers.    According to RMAFC Public Relations Officer, Christian Nwachukwu, RMAFC   Chairman Mohammed Bello Shehu disclosed this during an interactive forum with delegations from NUPRC and NOSDRA recently in Abuja.    Bello noted that in view of the current government’s efforts to shore up the Nation’s revenue generation, the gas sector of the economy must be given adequate attention with NUPRC and NOSDRA as regulatory bodies in determining quality and quantities of gas production alongside adherence to environmental standards for host Communities.             Responding, the Director of Economic Regulation and Strategic planning of NUPRC, Mr. Babajide Fashino noted that Nigeria is at the fore front of managing gas flares in line with global best practices for economic growth and sustainability. This is done with the introduction of a metering system and calibration of the meters for accurate records of gas management.  According to Babajide, the introduction of such technologies has gone a long way in reducing gas flares gas flaring in Nigeria from 40 per cent to a mere 7 per cent. Earlier, the Director of ICT in NOSDRA, Mrs. Margaret Adeshida underscored the need for proper monetisation of gas flares in Nigeria, noting that Nigeria flared more than 4.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas leading to the country’s loss of more than $14.6 billion revenue between 2012 and 2021.  This is in addition to $8.3 billion loss in penalty for the wastages. Mohammed Shehu therefore called on all the relevant stakeholders in the management of the gas economy including the revenue monitoring Committee of the present administration to salvage the Country by coming together to work out proper strategies to convert the gas flare to economic use for enhancing revenue generation into the Federation Account.

Reps frown at N81.2bn spent by Green Wall Agency to plant trees

*Expresses displeasure over conflicting financial reports by CBN, OAGF The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the utilisation of ecological funds released to the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has uncovered N81.2 billion allegedly spent to plant 21m trees in 11 states. The investigation is from 2015 till date. Hon.  Isma’ila Dabo, the Chairman of the Committee in Abuja, decried the persistent of environmental challenges in spite of funds put into the programme. He said the funds put by the Federal Government and international partners necessitated the investigation. He said the committee would embark on, on-the-spot assessment tour to all the projects executed under this scheme to ascertain the claims. He said the committee was not out to scandalise any individual or organisation but only to ensure that public funds were utilised for the purpose they were given. “We will not shy away from pointing fingers where necessary, not out of personal animosity but simply in the national interest of our nation.” The 11 states where the trees are planted are: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno. The committee expressed displeasure over conflicting financial reports submitted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to the committee. Piqued by the inability of the agency to substantiate most of the tree planting projects carried out so far, the committee said 80 per cent of trees planted by the agency did not survive. Meanwhile, the documents submitted by the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein showed that the total sum of N19.378 billion was released from the derivation and Ecology Accounts to the agency from Feb 2019 to date. Responding to questions from the committee, NAGGW Managing Director, Dr Yusuf Bukar, said the Great Green Wall Act was signed by Mr. President in 2015. He said it enabled the agency to implement the Nigerian component of the programme as an initiative of the African Union being implemented in 11 African countries. This according to him, is to address the problem of land degradation, desertification, drought, climate change and livelihood of affected communities. He saud the agency planted 1 million trees in Borno, Yobe and other states, adding that N2.4 billion was released in the first phase and N7.3 billion released in the second phase. He added that the fund accruing into the agency’s account included 15 per cent of the ecological fund for the Great Green Wall, contribution of fund from the natural resources development fund and gifts. Others include loans and grants in aid from national bilateral, multilateral organisations and donors, international and development agencies as well as individuals. He said that the agency often got funds from donor agencies; however, he did not provide relevant documents on the amount received so far.

FAO launches action plan for ambitious climate strategy

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched an Action Plan designed to support the implementation of its ambitious Strategy on Climate Change 2022-2031.   According to a statement on its website, the strategy, which was endorsed in June 2022 by its executive Council, envisages agri-food systems as sustainable, inclusive, resilient, and adaptive to climate change.  Global Agrifood Systems, which encompass the production of food and non-food agricultural products, as well as their storage, transportation, processing, distribution, marketing, disposal, and consumption, are currently responsible for about a third of total greenhouse gas emissions. They are also one of the major victims of the climate crisis. But agrifood systems also offer many solutions for confronting the climate crisis, from building resilience and adaptation to mitigation and sequestration. The Strategy aims to scale up the visibility, uptake, and investment in these solutions by contributing to adaptive, resilient low-emission economies “while providing sufficient, safe, and nutritious foods for healthy diets, as well as other agricultural products and services, for present and future generations, leaving no one behind.  Crucially, it recognizes that the time to act is now. To guarantee the successful and timely implementation of the Strategy, FAO has developed an Action Plan based on discussions with its FAO Members, so as to ensure that it reflects their needs and priorities as closely as possible. “FAO’s Strategy on Climate Change is our response to the worldwide challenge of tackling the impacts of the climate crisis, while aiming to address a broad range of interlinked challenges, including biodiversity loss, desertification, land and environmental degradation, the need for accessible, affordable renewable energy, and food and water security. This Action Plan will help implement agrifood system solutions to climate change from across all FAO areas of work, ensuring we are working as one FAO,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. The plan involves three pillars, advocacy at global and regional levels; policy support at the country level; and the scaling-up of climate action on the ground with local actors and vulnerable populations. The UN agency is already stepping up its advocacy efforts in global fora. For example, FAO was recognized as a strategic partner of the COP27 Presidency, supported the agricultural track of the climate negotiations, and hosted a Food and Agriculture pavilion for the first time at the Climate Change Conference held in Sharm el-Sheikh in November 2022. In terms of policy support to FAO Members, the Plan aims to intensify support in the elaboration and implementation of climate commitments, in particular the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and nationally determined contributions (NDCs). FAO is active in this area with its Scaling up Climate Ambition on Land Use and Agriculture through nationally determined contributions and National Adaptation Plans (SCALA) program, which is currently active in 12 countries spread across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.