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NAS’ endorsement of GMOs: Matters arising

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NAS’ endorsement of GMOs: Matters arising

A month ago, the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) declared that genetically modified foods (GMOs) are safe for consumption. As a molecular geneticist myself, I was very excited to see the methods by which the apparent most foremost authority on science in Nigeria used to come to this conclusion. I looked forward to reading about the animal trials they carried out to test the effects of consuming these foods over a 200-day period. I was excited to read about how they tested the protocols of the numerous scientists in France, Russia, United Kingdom, USA, Germany and Japan whose results showed links to several dilapidating diseases, I was hoping to see NAS test them all out and prove them wrong. Ground breaking science and research that focused on ensuring the safety of Nigerians by Nigerians.

President of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), Prof. Oyewale Tomori
President of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), Prof. Oyewale Tomori

But, alas, I was hugely disappointed. This “high calibre” group of scientists came to their conclusion by and I quote: “The academy’s stance was informed by existing evidence from the industrialised countries, which have carefully followed laid-down principles for such activities.”

One must then question the relevance of the Academy of Science. Especially scientists that are not even curious to research the works of several scientists that have highlighted the ills associated with GMO food consumption. GMOs have been in circulation for over 20 years and there is good reason why they are still enmeshed in so much controversy. What I expected was for our scientists to either agree with the claims or debunk them based on the outcome of their own laboratory research. A biased literature review would not suffice especially as they are endorsing a move that would impact over a 180 million Nigerians.

Since they only reviewed work done by other scientists, it is important for the Academy to publish the methodology used to carry out this research. I did go on their website to see if I could find any publication but, unfortunately, all I saw were pictures of some of its members at a GMO stakeholders meeting.

This brings me to my second concern: Why is NAS a stakeholder in GMO? Are they not supposed to be an independent organisation responsible for helping the advancement of science and technology? Does their stakeholder position not introduce some sort of bias favouring GMOs already?

Furthermore, NAS went on to say and I quote: “Before these products are sent into the market, lots of trials and investigations are done by so many agencies, such as the Academy of Sciences Worldwide, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), World Health Organisation (WHO), to monitor and make sure they are safe for human consumption and they have recommended.”

This is not a fact. None of these organisations have ever tested GMOs. In fact, the FDA depends on the organisations that produce GMOs to test their safety. Till date, there have been no human trials on the short term or long term effect of GMOs in humans. The only investigation that was carried out was by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – WHO’s cancer agency – which concluded that glyphosate (a herbicide used alongside GMOs) was carcinogenic to humans.

It is so disappointing that Nigerian scientists are taking a stand on a technology they haven’t even tested. The dependency on the West for us to make national decisions is ridiculous especially on a controversial technology that has been banned in six out of eight countries that make up the G8. There are many studies that have highlighted the health and environmental effects of GMOs and so with those studies in scientific journals, I am more than curious to know how NAS came up with their conclusion. Nigerians need transparency and accountability, especially when it concerns food, an item that every Nigerian ingests daily.

Despite the most recent investigative report published on the 29/10/16 by The New York Times titled “Uncertain Harvest: Doubts About the Promised Bounty of Genetically Modified Crops” concludes that genetic modification in the United States and Canada has not accelerated increases in crop yields or led to an overall reduction in the use of chemical pesticides.

The analysis by The Times using United Nations data showed that the United States and Canada have gained no discernible advantage in yields – food per acre – when measured against Western Europe, a region with comparably modernised agricultural producers like France and Germany.

Also, a recent National Academy of Sciences report found that “there was little evidence” that the introduction of genetically modified crops in the United States had led to yield gains beyond those seen in conventional crops.”

It is also very worrying that these scientists did not address the impact on the environment and human life that comes with higher use of herbicides and pesticides neither did they explain the technology’s failure to meet its promises of increased yield but instead delivered weed and pest resistance. All of which have been well documented in scientific journals.

This is extremely worrying and calls in to question the extent of their literature review. Below are some studies I hope (NAS) would look into.

 

Shocking Lab results with GM potatoes

A Scotland Rowett Research Institute researcher and world’s leading lectins and plant genetic modification expert, Arpad Pusztai, conducted the first ever independent experiment. Rats fed GM potatoes had smaller livers, hearts, testicles and brains, damaged immune systems, and showed structural changes in their white blood cells making them more vulnerable to infection and disease compared to other rats fed non-GMO potatoes. It got worse. Thymus and spleen damage showed up; enlarged tissues, including the pancreas and intestines; and there were cases of liver atrophy as well as significant proliferation of stomach and intestines cells that could be a sign of greater future risk of cancer. Equally alarming, results showed up after 10 days of testing, and they persisted after 110 days that’s the human equivalent of 10 years.

 

Genetic Roulette

Inserted genes in genetic modified food can move into gut bacteria or internal organs, causing these organs to potentially become cancerous. If GM corn genes with Bt-toxin gets into gut bacteria, our intestinal flora may become pesticide factories. This can contribute to antibiotic resistance we already see around the world.

 

Illnesses linked to GMO

The few scientific research done on these foods have showed stunted growth, impaired immune systems, bleeding stomachs, abnormal and potentially precancerous cell growth in the intestines, impaired blood cell development, misshaped cell structures in the liver, pancreas and testicles, infertility, altered gene expression and cell metabolism, liver and kidney lesions leading to failure of the organs, partially atrophied livers, inflamed kidneys, less developed organs, reduced digestive enzymes, higher blood sugar, inflamed lung tissue, increased death rates and higher offspring mortality as well. All these studies were done in rats and mice.

 

Conclusion

Nigeria’s health system currently lacks the capacity in terms of technology and infrastructure to deal with not just infectious diseases but cancers and other terminal diseases; shouldn’t we be preventing more diseases?

If Nigeria wants to grow GMO, then scientists need to follow due process. They should set up a world standard laboratory with scientists who have the skills to test GMOs. They should do their own independent study and publish it for Nigerians to read. Making national decisions for 180 million Nigerians because America says so would not suffice.

Also, if the foods are introduced, they will not be labelled as Nigeria does not have a system of identifying and labelling foods or allergens. This automatically takes away the choice of people who do not want to eat GMOs as there would be no way for them to identify GMO-free food. NABDA and NABMA which are supposed to be regulatory organisations are also GMO stakeholders who do no testing and the Ministry of Health says it’s relying on these organisations to test GMOs.

So one question remains, in whose interest is the introduction of GMO to the country for? These organisations need to be questioned and held accountable by all Nigerians because food is the very thing that links us all and if our food isn’t safe, we have a right to know. Prevention is better than curing diseases. Not everyone can afford healthcare abroad.

By Ify Aniebo (BSc, MSc, MRes, MPH). Aniebo is a molecular geneticist from Oxford University, with a Masters in Public Health completing her PhD on the Genomic Determinant of Malaria Infection. She most recently was honoured by the Mayor of London for her innovation in malaria diagnostics. She was awarded the prestigious Young Person of the Year Award and the Best Use of Science Award by the future awards Africa. A Bill Gates scholar, she has worked at the top genetic research institutions such as Illumina and the Sanger Institute. She was recognised in a ceremony by the British House of Commons and was also recognised by Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, during the centenary celebrations as an inventor and innovator.

Global fossil fuel divestment doubles in size

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Global fossil fuel divestment doubles in size

Third annual report reveals global commitments reach 688 institutions spanning 76 countries, as institutions representing $5 trillion commit to divest

Fossil fuel pollution: The global movement to divest from fossil fuels is said to have doubled in size since September 2015
Fossil fuel pollution: The global movement to divest from fossil fuels is said to have doubled in size since September 2015

The global movement to divest from fossil fuels has doubled in size since September 2015, according to the third annual Global Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Investment Movement report from Arabella Advisors. The report, released on Monday, December 12 2016 by the Divest-Invest network, comes exactly one year after world governments reached the Paris agreement on climate change.

Global commitments to divest have reached 688 institutions across 76 countries, representing $5 trillion in assets under management. Notable announcements include Dublin’s Trinity College, 16 universities in the UK, the Islamic Society of North America, the American Public Health Association, and more.

“As we enter the final weeks of 2016, the hottest year in history, the success of the divestment movement is undeniable,” said May Boeve, 350.org Executive Director. “In the face of intensifying climate impacts, and regressive and anti-climate governments like the Trump administration, it’s more critical than ever that our institutions – especially at the local level – step up to break free from fossil fuel companies.”

What started as a campaign on university campuses in the United States has now become a mainstream, global movement permeating every sector of society. Divestment commitments and campaigns stem from all types of institutions: from universities and pension funds, to faith-based groups and health organisations, to the insurance sector and cultural institutions, and more.

Around the world, cultural institutions are taking leadership in the transition away from fossil fuels. The New York-based American Museum of Natural History responded to a campaign driven by scientists and activists calling for it to cut ties with fossil fuels, revealing it has reduced exposure of its $650 million endowment to coal, oil and gas, and is seeking portfolio managers who incorporate climate risk and prioritise renewables.

Five days ahead of the release of this report, campaigners with Divest Nobel released a letter signed by 17 Nobel laureates around the world, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, calling on the Nobel Foundation to act in Alfred Nobel’s will and divest from fossil fuels.

Speakers at today’s press conference stressed the importance of divestment and climate action at the city and state level. Boeve announced that in just three days, on December 15, organisers with Divest New York will take action at a New York City pension board meeting calling on decision-makers to divest fully from fossil fuels and reinvest in a sustainable, local economy.

In October, the Diocese of Umuarama, which encompasses 45 parishes and about 490,000 inhabitants in Brazil, became the first Diocese, and the first institution in Latin America, to divest from fossil fuels.

“We cannot accommodate and continue allowing economic interests that seek exorbitant profits before the well being of people, to destroy biodiversity and ecosystems, nor continue dictating our energy model based on fossil fuels when we have so many other possibilities for clean, renewable energies,” said Dom Frei João Mamede Filho, Bishop of the Diocese of Umuarama, Brazil.

Several press events took place on Monday across the globe to showcase the major milestone for the divestment movement. Notable speakers, such as former Executive VP of Mobil Lou Allstadt, Aine O’Gorman, a student representing recently-divested Trinity College of Dublin, and Mark Campanale of Carbon Tracker Initiative were featured at a video-press conference between New York City and London.

Campaigners in Cape Town held a press conference featuring, among others, the Anglican Church of South Africa who recently committed to divest. Coordinated events also took place in Tokyo, where organisers worked with Arabella Advisors to hold a media study session of the report. In Australia, faith groups hosted a webinar highlighting the moral imperative of fossil fuel divestment.

As the movement celebrates this tremendous milestone, it recognises the increasingly urgent need for bold and swift action on the climate crisis.

“Fossil fuel divestment has become a mainstream $5 trillion movement because our institutions and society know that we need a rapid and just shift away from the fossil fuel economy,” said Yossi Cadan, 350.org Global Senior Divestment Campaigner. “But many institutions are moving far too slowly. That’s why we will take action around the world in May 2017 through global mobilisations to shine a spotlight on the impacts of the fossil fuel industry, and escalate the call for governments and institutions to divest.”

The Global Divestment Mobilisation for a fossil free world will take place 5-13 of May, 2017.

Crowding the private sector into Africa’s climate action

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Crowding the private sector into Africa’s climate action

It is in the enlightened self-interest of African private sector to begin to mobilise investment capital for Africa’s climate action, writes Chinedu Moghalu, Head, Corporate Communications, Nigerian Export-Import Bank

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A big green light for faster, stronger climate action was switched on as the Paris Climate Change Agreement entered into force
Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A big green light for faster, stronger climate action was switched on as the Paris Climate Change Agreement entered into force

The global community for climate action was spooked by the November 8 election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States. The U.S. President-elect had earned the sobriquet of “climate denier,” for his claim that climate change is a hoax. However, there is cautious optimism that his presidency will not overturn the global agenda on climate change. Hopefully, his views on climate change will change and align with reality when he settles into the Oval Office. Policymakers also believe that global climate agreements cannot be reversed easily.

In the meantime, stakeholders are pressing on with formulating strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the United Nations’ agency on climate change held on November 7 – 18 in Marrakech, Morocco. At the climate talks, Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, Pakistan and seven other countries ratified the December 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. A total of 111 countries, including the United States, China and Member Countries of the European Union ratified the agreement by the time COP22 concluded.

Since the Paris accord entered into force on November 4th, quite earlier than anticipated, global action against climate change has effectively shifted to strategic programming. Therefore, in Marrakech, Canada, Germany, Mexico and the United States published their plans to significantly decarbonise their economies by 2050. A group of 47 developing nations also committed to running entirely on renewable energy sources “as rapidly as possible.”

Some of the plans are already gaining traction. Investments in renewable energy totalled $286 billion in 2015. This surpassed by 3% the previous high of renewable energy investment achieved in 2011. Data gleaned from Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2016, a joint publication by United Nations Environment Programme and Bloomberg, further revealed that last year, coal and gas-fired electricity generation drew less than half the record investment made in solar, wind and other renewable energy sources.

The trend in renewable energy investment is a mixed bag, even in developing countries. China alone accounted for 55% of total investment last year; Africa’s share was less than 5%. As climate change mitigation is being driven by investment in green energy, Africa is already taking the familiar position at the back seat on the “green energy train”.

This was not unanticipated by climate policymakers. Although China is the clear leader in investment in renewables, other developing countries, in particular the low-income countries, are not expected to be able to keep pace without international assistance. But the advanced countries appear to be reneging on their pledges to help finance both mitigation and adaptation frameworks in the developing world, including Africa. This generated some rumblings in Marrakech, with regard to the commitment by the developed countries to raise $100 billion annually by 2020 to support climate actions in developing countries.

Disappointing as this is, the prospects of improvement in international assistance at the required scale are not assuring. One, virtually all the advanced countries have been bedevilled by over half a decade of weak economic growth. This has put investment in infrastructure below ideal levels, suggesting near-term pressure on the fiscal regimes to close the infrastructure gap, create domestic jobs, and boost economic growth.

Two, the economic malaise is also driving populist nationalistic sentiments in Europe and the United States. The backlashes for the emerging isolationist regimes are expected to include decline in international trade, further political uncertainties, shrinking and closed borders, and volatility in financial markets – acting together to further put downward pressure on economic growth and constrict foreign aid.

Three, the developing world has ceased to be monolithic. A handful of the countries have recently made significant economic and financial advances. These countries, including the BRICS economies, and the countries of the Gulf States that have amassed huge reserve savings, are expected to underline their climate strategies by investment. The less fortunate countries will continue to rely on overseas development assistance, although the gap between pledges and delivery will continue to widen. Without a united front, commitment to pledges for climate change mitigation and adaptation will continue to slack, with consequences for vulnerable populations.

Africa that is left behind in the transition to the green economy will be worse off than it is today. As the drive towards decarbonisation gathers pace, Africa’s oil economies will face more intense fiscal challenges. Given the strong link between government balance sheets and private sector balance sheets, this will result in serious constraint for business growth and profit. Therefore, it is in the enlightened self-interest of African private sector to begin to mobilise investment capital for Africa’s climate action.

For starters, the private sector is best suited to take the lead role in innovating climate solutions and green development. In Africa, the frontiers for the innovations are in power and agriculture. These are sectors that have been far less developed, compared to services sectors. Happily, countries including Nigeria have recently enacted reforms in both their power and agriculture sectors. These reforms are geared towards mobilising private sector resources, having relaxed statist control and incentivised investment.

Accordingly, the private sector can leverage reforms that have relaxed the centralisation of the power grid to innovate and finance off-grid electricity solutions. Opportunities for Public Private Partnerships are also opening up as subnational governments are seeking to accelerate improvement in the power sector. These are happening in the region that is well endowed with solar energy and wind resources.

Similarly, various reforms in the agriculture sector have factored the need for climate resilience in national food security policies. But there is significant knowledge gap in Africa’s agriculture which cannot be left to the smallholder farmers and governments to fill. Private investments across the agriculture value-chain are needed to help close the knowledge gap and support adaptation mechanisms in rural farming communities.

Token actions towards building the green economy cannot remain an option for Africa’s private sector. The risks are dangerously stacked. Without adequate climate action, African farmers could lose between 40% and 80% of their croplands for growing grains. Also, the effects of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are dire for even urban populations.

But the question remains: how will private sector resources be mobilised? No doubt, significant capacity lies with the African financial institutions, including the development finance banks and to a lesser extent the export credit agencies. But there has been risk aversion and shortage of risk-sharing market instruments. In the Nigerian banking industry, for example, aversion towards risk in agribusiness has hampered funding by financial institutions. And funding pooled at the instance of Central Bank of Nigeria for on-lending to agro-SMEs has historically under-performed. A further drag is the macroeconomic conditions, which are driving interest rates more and more beyond the affordability of agro-entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers.

To unlock private sector funding, therefore, the blockades at both demand and supply sides of the credit market have to be addressed by smarter policies and more faithfulness with implementation. But this will not be enough. There has to be a framework for sharing expertise on the continent. The good news is that such frameworks that pool resources, help to mitigate risk, and share knowledge in mobilising climate actions already exist. At the supra-national level, the African Risk Capacity (ARC) was founded in 2012 as an agency of the African Union with the mandate to finance climate resilience and crisis response.

In line with its mandate, the ARC is planning to roll out an Extreme Climate Facility, which will issue multi-peril, climate change catastrophe bonds. The securitisation instruments will bring scale and know-how to Africa’s climate risk management and climate change adaptation efforts, with tremendous benefits to the agriculture sector. XCF’s catastrophe bonds are expected to attract not only investment from indigenous African banks but also from international financial institutions. One hopes that the XCF will soon be deployed, and the rigorous risk modelling it plans to have in place will serve other market initiatives.

Necessary as it is for Africa to take responsibility for its resilience to climate change and to develop its adaptation mechanisms, the continent should not be denied ‘climate justice.’ The heavily-industrialised countries account for overwhelming proportions of the emissions that are heating the planet and are intensifying climate risks for vulnerable populations in less-industrialised developing countries. This makes the delivery of aid towards adaptation in developing countries quite mandatory. Foreign aid is also required to catalyse market frameworks in developing countries, and secure part of the moral planks on which the much-celebrated Paris accord rest.

Trio launches guide to mainstreaming biodiversity into Pacific Islands’ agriculture

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Trio launches guide to mainstreaming biodiversity into Pacific Islands’ agriculture

Environmental Awareness Raising The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), on Friday, December 9, 2016 released a technical document that provides guidance on mainstreaming ecosystem services and biodiversity into agricultural production and management in the Pacific Islands.

The technical document was launched during the Forest and Agriculture Day at the Rio Conventions Pavilion
The technical document was launched during the Forest and Agriculture Day at the Rio Conventions Pavilion

Launched during the Forest and Agriculture Day at the Rio Conventions Pavilion, as part of the UN Biodiversity Conference currently taking place in Cancun, Mexico, the document is part of a series of technical guidance documents to identify key entry points for policy action and to foster cross-sectorial collaboration. It was funded by the European Union and jointly produced by the FAO, CBD and regional partner organisations.

The Rio Conventions Pavilion is a collaborative platform for raising awareness and identifying co-benefits for the implementation of the three Rio Conventions – the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the United nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“To meet rising global food demands, the agriculture sectors need to produce greater quantities of more diverse and nutritious food. This progress can and must be achieved in a sustainable way, without causing more impacts on biodiversity,” said Mr. Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary.

“This is particularly true for the Pacific Islands which are home to diverse and unique terrestrial and marine ecosystems. These ecosystems support a range of agricultural activities which are important to the economy but which also need to be managed in a sustainable way.”

The document introduces best practices for integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into agriculture for the Pacific region, including: diversification and integration of farming systems (cropping, agroforestry and agrosilvipastoral systems); strengthening resilience of production systems and landscapes to the adverse effects of climate change or pest outbreaks; soil biodiversity to enhance soil health, nutrient transformation, soil decontamination, climate regulation; and ecological management to minimise chemical use. It also links ecotourism and agricultural zones to support environmental protection and agrobiodiversity preservation.

Biodiversity and ecosystem services can provide many solutions for sustainable increases in agricultural productivity. Agriculture relies on biodiversity to maintain soils health, pollination services, and control pests, weeds and diseases. Mainstreaming biodiversity can help agricultural production systems to deliver better outcomes for food and nutrition security, and at the same time, protect the environment.

“The ecological footprint of agriculture can be reduced through sustainable practices,” said Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General, adding that “agriculture and food systems are biological and social systems and they can be designed to build on and harness the forces of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Agriculture can be regenerative at farm, landscape and community levels.”

The FAO, working closely with regional partners, has organised cross-sectoral consultations to integrate agriculture into countries’ revised National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and has promoted dialogues to engage Ministries from different areas to collaborate in NBSAP implementation. NBSAPs are the main policy tool for implementing the CBD’s provisions at the national level and achieving the Convention’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

The first title in the series, Mainstreaming ecosystem services and biodiversity into agricultural production and management in East Africa, was released in May 2016. These initiatives are undertaken under the umbrella of the EU-ACP project “Capacity Building on Multilateral Environmental Agreements” (ACP-MEAs 2).

Optimism as Africa Adaptation Initiative shifts to Phase 2

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Optimism as Africa Adaptation Initiative shifts to Phase 2

Following the successful implementation of the first phase of the Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI), its promoters, amid a warm reception that greeted the landmark scheme in Marrakech on Thursday, November 16 2016, are preparing to kick-off the next phase.

Yasmine Fouad, Egypt's Assistant Minister of Environment. She says the AAI Phase 2 will span four years – beginning from next year and rounded up in 2020.
Yasmine Fouad, Egypt’s Assistant Minister of Environment. She says the AAI Phase 2 will span four years – beginning from next year and rounded up in 2020.

During a plenary on the AAI which formed part of the Africa Day at the UN climate change talks (COP22) that held recently in Morocco, Ms Yasmine Fouad, Assistant Minister of Environment for Sustainable Development & External Affairs of Egypt, disclosed during a presentation that Phase 1 of the AAI, which spanned between 2015 and 2016, had been successfully achieved.

“A political mandate from African Heads of State and Government and endorsement from all 54 African countries was given, the AAI was launched at COP21 in Paris, and two Technical Working Group meetings were held,” she said, listing the activities that held within the two-year period that the initial phase lasted.

Ms. Fouad added, however, that the project’s Phase 2 would span four years – beginning from next year and rounded up in 2020.

She said of the Phase 2: “The AAI will place a facilitative role, working with partners to scale up and replicate adaptation actions and approaches to address loss and damage. This phase will begin with facilitating support for African countries to development and implement National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) through a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“Additionally, AAI will develop a yearly report to map ongoing initiatives on adaptation and addressing loss and damage and assesses progress towards meeting the objectives.”

The Egyptian minister noted further that, under Phase 3 (2020-2030), “the AAI will continue to work with partners to facilitate the scaling up and replication of adaptation action and approaches to address loss and damage. Additional flagship programmes will be developed and additional resources will be mobilised,” she added.

Launched at COP21 in Paris by HE Abdelfateh Al-Sissi, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the AAI is an African-led initiative rooted in existing African institutions. It aims to provide support to African countries to enhance adaptation action and address loss and damage on the continent with the aim of being transparent, flexible, agile, and responsive to the needs of African countries.

Participants at the session lauded the initiative, saying it would address the gaps and challenges as well as assist African countries enhance adaptation and address loss and damage.

Augustine Njamnshi of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) said: “One thing we are happy about is that, before Paris, the industrialised world used to accuse Africa and least developed countries of demanding for money but having no avenues to spend them. But we now have where and how to spend the money, thanks to such great initiatives like AREI and the AAI that have been brought on the table. The time has come and we’ve proven that this is what we want to do.

“Our focus is to fight climate injustice, which happens when somebody is suffering from a situation he did not create and the person that has caused that situation either pretends not to know that you are suffering or they don’t know. So we brought the issue of climate justice on the table, and it was like utopian dream that can never be discussed on the table. I’m happy today that equity and justice has found a central place in these negotiations and any push to take it away from the people has been met with one force in Africa which is the African civil society network group.”

Mr. Seyni Nafo, Chair of the Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN), noted: “The AAI and AREI are all about Africa taking care of Africa, which is very commendable. The two main objectives of the AGN entail the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement, under which the aim is to strengthen the technical and operational foundations. The second is implementation and action.”

NNPC, Shell embark on Lagos health outreach

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NNPC, Shell embark on Lagos health outreach

Thousands of residents in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, benefitted from a health outreach organised by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company (SNEPCo), which offered free medical services and education at strategic areas in the mega city.

SNEPCo Managing Director, Bayo Ojulari
SNEPCo Managing Director, Bayo Ojulari

The Health-in-Motion programme took the team of doctors and nurses to Lagos Island East Local Government Area and the Ojota Motor Park, one of the largest in Lagos State, providing cardiovascular screening, screening for blood sugar and cholesterol, alcohol breath test for drivers, HIV counselling and testing, malaria testing, screening for breast, cervical and prostate cancer, dental care/minor surgery, optometry/distribution of eye glasses and treatment of minor ailments.

“We are pleased to reach our extended families with this first major health initiative,” said SNEPCo Managing Director, Bayo Ojulari, as he reflected on the outcome of the exercise.

The three-day outreach at Lagos Island Local Government Area held at the Campos Mini Stadium with a representative of the wife of the Lagos State Governors, Mrs. Titi Ayinla, flagging it off. Describing health “as an individual’s most important asset,” she said that SNEPCo displayed responsible corporate citizenship by subscribing to the health and well-being of Lagosians, especially the people of Isale Eko.

Mrs. Ayinla later presented five schools with a first aid box each, dewormed school children, and distributed long lasting insecticide treated nets to pregnant women. The Sole Administrator of the Local Government, Mr A.B Are, highlighted his joy regarding the “fruitful collaboration” between the council and SNEPCo.

In addition to the screening tests and treatment, the health team visited five primary schools and trained a total of 2470 children on hand washing. In all, nearly 5000 men, women and youths benefitted from the outreach at Isale Eko, many of whom received spectacles and drugs for blood pressure management and also underwent dental surgery among other medical procedures.

The outreach at Ojota Motor Park saw SNEPCo collaborate with the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to flag off FRSC’s 2016 Ember Month campaign with the theme: “Crash the crash: speed kills.”  The focus was on the driver’s health and safety to prevent road traffic crashes and influence policy.

The flag-off ceremony was attended by high ranking officials of the FRSC, SNEPCo, SPDC, NURTW, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), members of the uniformed forces and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) who delivered goodwill messages.

The Corp Marshall, who was represented by Assistant Corps Marshall, Austin Aipoh, acknowledged the contributions of SNEPCo for sponsoring the Health-in-Motion for drivers. The Lagos State Commissioner of Transportation, Mr. Adebowale Akinsanya, who represented Governor of the State, called on drivers and road users to discard “rhetorics” and “myths” and take “strong actions and commitment” in reducing road crashes.

A total of 398 drivers and transporters benefited from the programme, with 60 people trained in First Aid skills. SNEPCo also presented five alcohol breath analysers to the FRSC.

Ogun earmarks N50m to revive timber sector

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Ogun earmarks N50m to revive timber sector

To provide job opportunities for its teeming youth as well as increase its revenue base, the Ogun State Government has concluded plans to resuscitate the moribund Gateway Timber Industry Limited (GATIL) in the coming year.

Kolawole Lawal , timber industry
Commissioner for Forestry, Chief Kolawole Lawal

Commissioner for Forestry, Chief Kolawole Lawal, made this known recently while defending the 2017 budget of the Ministry at the House of Assembly at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital.

Chief Lawal said GATIL, a state-owned sawmilling establishment, was in the past known for processing timber into different specifications of finished products that were marketed across the Southwest geo-political zone.

Speaking on what would be required to revamp the ailing industry, the commissioner said: “The sum of N50 million would be used to repair the CD6 machine, Edger Machine, Circular Sawing Machine and also carry out other necessary maintenance work.”

Lawal also disclosed that the sum of N278 million had been budgeted for tree planting in 2017 while N10 million and N62.5 million had been earmarked for forest conservation and production of farm seedlings respectively.

Construction of N250m Sokoto fertiliser plant begins

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Construction of N250m Sokoto fertiliser plant begins

Construction of a N250 million organic fertiliser plant that will produce 15,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser annually as well as provide over 20,000 jobs has begun in Sokoto State.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State. He has inspected the progress of work done so far at the site of the fertiliser plant
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State. He has inspected the progress of work done so far at the site of the fertiliser plant

Inspecting the progress of work done so far at the site, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said 100 percent of the raw materials to be used in the production of the fertiliser will be sourced locally in the state.

He said: “Apart from opportunity for wealth creation, this factory serves as part of our wider vision to partner with willing investors at home and abroad to explore abundant natural resources for the development of our people.

“The most important natural material required in the production of fertiliser is phosphate, and I am glad to say that we have it in abundance in at least 17 of the 23 LGAs of Sokoto State.

“Importantly, there’s a huge market for the product in Sokoto and surrounding areas including Niger Repubic. This administration will provide the needed incentives, and necessary legal framework for the successful take off of this new plant.”

The Governor said the state government would be the number one buyer of all the fertiliser to be produced by the plant, and will hold an equity share of 40% in trust for the people of Sokoto.

Proprietor of IML Ltd, the company constructing the plant, Alhaji Bilya Sanda, commended the state government for its keen interest in the project, and assured that majority of the staff of the new company would be sourced from the host state.

By Abdallah el-Kurebe

Images: Health facilities without clean water, sanitation

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Images: Health facilities without clean water, sanitation

Monday, 12 December is Universal Health Coverage Day and, to mark the day, WaterAid has released a new photo series revealing the silent emergency of erratic or non-existent water supply, broken toilets and poor hygiene, which puts the health of patients, staff and surrounding communities at risk.

According to WaterAid, even though Nigeria boasts the fastest-growing economy on the African continent, one-third of its population do not have access to clean water, two-thirds do not have access to basic, private toilets, and one in three healthcare facilities in Nigeria do not have access to water.

The international organisation insists that, within the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) committing to ensuring everyone has access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030, healthcare facilities should be prioritised, such that no new hospitals or clinics should be built without water and sanitation.

Gloria Samuel, 37, a cleaner at Bwari town Primary Health Centre, showing the rain water collected that is used to clean the toilets because there is no water supply to the centre. They also buy clean water to use for cleaning more sensitive sanitation and for patients who need clean water to wash. Upkuduru ward Bwari LGA, Abuja, Nigeria
Gloria Samuel, 37, a cleaner at Bwari town Primary Health Centre, showing the rain water collected that is used to clean the toilets because there is no water supply to the centre. They also buy clean water to use for cleaning more sensitive sanitation and for patients who need clean water to wash. Upkuduru ward Bwari LGA, Abuja, Nigeria
Gallons of water lined up for sale in the Garki Village Primary Health Centre which is required because of lack of clean water supply to the centre. Abuja, Nigeria
Gallons of water lined up for sale in the Garki Village Primary Health Centre which is required because of lack of clean water supply to the centre. Abuja, Nigeria
The bad state of one of the toilets used by patients at Gwagwalada township clinic, Abuja, Nigeria.
The bad state of one of the toilets used by patients at Gwagwalada township clinic, Abuja, Nigeria.
Martina Ohaegbulem, 56, the deputy nurse in charge/midwife showing the state of the toilets at the clinic. Zuba Primary Health Centre, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria.
Martina Ohaegbulem, 56, the deputy nurse in charge/midwife showing the state of the toilets at the clinic. Zuba Primary Health Centre, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria.
Nkiruka Okafor, 40, a volunteer nurse washing her hands thoroughly with water bought and stored, before attending to patients. Zuma Primary Health Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.
Nkiruka Okafor, 40, a volunteer nurse washing her hands thoroughly with water bought and stored, before attending to patients. Zuma Primary Health Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.
Rukayyat Yahaya, 34, a lab technician at the Garki Village Primary Health Centre, Abuja, Nigeria
Rukayyat Yahaya, 34, a lab technician at the Garki Village Primary Health Centre, Abuja, Nigeria
Aisha Bello, 24, and her new born baby Sa’adat (3 months old) came for post natal check up and routine immunisation at the Family Clinic Area 2 Primary Health Centre, Abuja, Nigeria
Aisha Bello, 24, and her new born baby Sa’adat (3 months old) came for post natal check up and routine immunisation at the Family Clinic Area 2 Primary Health Centre, Abuja, Nigeria

WaterAid seeks accelerated plans for water, sanitation access in health facilities

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WaterAid seeks accelerated plans for water, sanitation access in health facilities

As part of activities to mark the 2016 Universal Health Coverage Day that is observed on Monday, 12 December, WaterAid is calling on healthcare professionals to join its global petition to ask national governments to accelerate their plans for safe, reliable access to water, sanitation and hygiene in all health facilities.

Zuba Primary Health Centre in Abuja, Nigeria where there is no water supply and so staff have to buy water for sanitation and hospital use. The 2016 Universal Health Coverage Day is observed on Monday, 12 December
Zuba Primary Health Centre in Abuja, Nigeria where there is no water supply and so staff have to buy water for sanitation and hospital use. The 2016 Universal Health Coverage Day is observed on Monday, 12 December

The Universal Health Coverage Day is intended to highlight the need for all to achieve good health and access to quality healthcare without incurring financial hardship. An essential element to good health and effective healthcare is access to clean, safe water to drink, a decent private toilet and the ability to practice good hygiene, including handwashing with soap.

According to WaterAid, Nigeria boasts the fastest-growing economy on the African continent. Yet, one-third of its population do not have access to clean water, two-thirds do not have access to basic, private toilets, and one in three healthcare facilities in Nigeria do not have access to water.

At the Zuba Primary Health Centre in Abuja for instance, healthcare staff report that there is no water supply; even the water they buy each day is not safe to drink.

Martina Ohaegbulem, 56, the deputy nurse in charge of the Zuba Primary Health Centre, said: “We need a borehole, or a well if one can be dug in the compound. We need more toilets for both the staff and patients. We need running taps and other things, too. We need improvement in handling those things – handwashing basins and similar things. We buy the soap we use from the little money we are paid for deliveries (of babies). It’s the money for deliveries we use in paying some of our workers, the volunteers, but we also buy the soap from that same money.

“We need improvement as we are not functioning efficiently. But we are trying our best with what we have.”

WaterAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr Michael Ojo, said: “All too often, healthcare conditions in many low- and middle-income countries are characterised by unreliable or non-existent water supplies, inadequate sanitation, and unsafe medical waste disposal. This situation leaves healthcare professionals unable to properly care for patients, and leaves doctors, midwives, nurses, cleaners and patients alike at serious risk of infection and illness.

“Good health, dignified and clean healthcare, and effectively combatting the rise of antimicrobial resistance requires clean water, good sanitation and good hygiene practice in homes, in schools and in hospitals and health centres, all around the world.”

The staff and patients in Zuba Primary Health Centre in Abuja appear not to be alone, as a World Health Organisation (WHO) report reveals that 42% of healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to water and that, in Nigeria, almost a third (29%) of hospitals and clinics do not have access to clean water and the same percentage do not have safe toilets, while one in six (16%) do not have anywhere to wash hands with soap.

According to WaterAid Nigeria’s own recent assessment of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) conducted in our six focal states – Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Ekiti, Jigawa and Plateau – 21.1% of the facilities assessed did not have at least one toilet facility and none met the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) minimum standard of separate toilet facilities for males and females, as well as separate toilet facilities for staff and patients.

Only 27.6% of the 242 PHCs assessed met NPHCDA minimum standard of access to a motorised borehole. Across the six states, only 49 (20.2%) of the PHCs had handwashing facilities in toilet facilities. Handwashing facilities were observed in delivery rooms in only 133 (54.9%) of the facilities assessed. The ward and consulting rooms had handwashing facilities in 64 (26.4%) and 74 (30.5%) of the facilities respectively, suggesting poor hygiene practices in the health centres.

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