Chief Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State for Environment says the Federal Government has created 74,413 employment opportunities for Nigerians through the implementation of various environmental projects in the country.

She disclosed this on Friday at the closing of the 15th National Council on Environment (NCE) in Abuja, explaining that, the employment opportunities are through effective collaboration of the ministry with other private sector organisations across the country.

“The ministry has been able to create 74,413 direct and indirect jobs through the implementation of various people-oriented projects and programmes as of the second quarter of 2021.”

“A total number of 25,263 persons, classified as the rural and poorest of the poor, have received various livelihood enhancement training and support and have gone ahead to make a decent living for themselves.”

Ikeazor said that the ministry was working to meet its obligations under the Paris Agreement to which it was a signatory, adding that the government has been able to achieve its obligations.

The achievements according to her include revising the National Policy on Climate Change (NPCC) which was approved in June 2021 by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

She said Nigeria recently participated in the high-level dialogue, adding that it has afforded the nation a rare opportunity to demonstrate ambition to achieve the global goal in this regard.

“The Nation, in alignment with the global community, is also focusing on the following five themes towards achieving this target.”

“They are energy access; energy transitions; energy action to advance other SDGs; capacity building and data and finance and investment,” Ikeazor said.

She also said that the government had developed an Adaptation Communication document that would highlight the adaptation efforts to the impacts of climate change.

“The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 26 meeting, scheduled to be held in Glasgow later this month, will be an opportunity to showcase our achievements.”

“It will also address the agenda items for discussion that are of immediate importance to Nigeria.”

“It will, as well, mobilise finance to address climate change, scale-up adaptation by strengthening our ability to adapt to climate change impacts, and finalising the Paris Rulebook.”

The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan of universal access to energy by 2030; zero carbon emission by 2050 and industrialisation to alleviate poverty and drive economic growth. She said Nigeria recently participated in the high-level dialogue, adding that it has afforded the nation a rare opportunity to demonstrate ambition to achieve the global goal in this regard.

“The Nation, in alignment with the global community, is also focusing on the following five themes towards achieving this target.”

“They are energy access; energy transitions; energy action to advance other SDGs; capacity building and data and finance and investment,” Ikeazor said.

Malam Muhammad Bello, Minister of the FCT in his address reiterated the urgent need to take stock of current environmental issues.

“There is need to evaluate the challenges embedded to chart the best way forward to ensure sustainable human and social development.”

“A call for action towards the environment of our dreams is, therefore, very relevant and certainly cannot have come at a better time.”

“We are determined to ensure that Abuja remains an environmentally friendly city and are committed to several initiatives and programmes designed to sustain and improve this status,” Bello said.

In a remark, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Hassan Musa, said the NCE meeting would review the level of implementation of the previous year’s councils decisions and assess the progress of development in the sector.

“The meeting remained a platform for stakeholders in the sector to critically consider and approve policy direction and focus for the sector.”

“The theme of this year’s NCE meeting is “Appraisal of the Emerging Challenges and the Opportunities in the Environment Sector: A call for Actions towards the Environment of our Dream.”

“The theme is apt and timely as it puts the issues of the environment on the front burner,” Musa said.

Mr Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), urged Nigerians to act responsibly to protect the ecosystem by maintaining high air quality for environmental sustainability.

Kyari, who was represented by Mrs. Affiong Akpasubi of the NNPC, also called on all the relevant organisations to work together to restore the planet.

“NNPC is mindful of the difficulty of eliminating, altogether, emissions from our operations; so, a complementary solution requires carbon management to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.”

“For us in NNPC, we recognize that emissions from energy exploitation are changing the reliability of the planet very rapidly.”

“We are aware that maintaining the environment of our dream is one of the most complex global challenges of our time.”

“I am calling on concerted international firms to take urgent actions to tackle the menace,” Kyari said.