The Lagos State Government has alerted members of the public to the dangers of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) and urged them to report any suspected case to the nearest public health facility.
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who made the disclosed, that CSM is a dangerous and a life-threatening disease that affects the thin layers of the tissue around the brain and spinal cord of an infected human person and it is caused by bacteria.
He added that cerebrospinal meningitis is an epidemic prone disease that spreads from person to person through contact with discharges or droplets from nose and throat of an infected person through kissing, sneezing and coughing.
He said this was very common amongst people living in close quarters, hotels, refugee camp, barracks, public transportation and areas with poor ventilation or overcrowded places.
Idris said: “This is to alert members of the public to the seasonal occurrence of a disease called cerebrospinal meningitis and the need to protect people from it. Though, Meningitis belt covers mostly the northern part of the country; however, in view of the phenomenal climatic change as well as the high human migration, it is not impossible that outbreaks can occur in any part of the country, Lagos inclusive.”
Idris explained that the disease usually comes with high body temperature, pain and stiffness of the neck, headache, vomiting, fear of light, restlessness and confusion stressed that death may occur if not treated promptly.
The commissioner therefore stressed the need for the observance of a high standard of personal and environmental hygiene as a preventive measure against the outbreak of the disease.
He noted that such hygiene measures should include washing of hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly, avoiding direct contact with the discharges from an infected person and covering of mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.
“It is strongly advised for people to avoid overcrowding in living quarters, provide cross ventilation in sleeping and work-rooms and other places where many people come together and get vaccinated with CSM vaccine when you are travelling to areas where Meningitis outbreaks have been reported,” he added.
Idris noted that health workers in the state have already been placed on red alert on the disease and surveillance teams consisting of epidemiologists have also intensified its surveillance and monitoring activities.
He therefore advised health workers to be on the alert and report suspected or probable cases whilst enjoining them to also make use of personal protective equipment when in contact with such cases.
“Please take responsibility for your health. Government is putting measures in place to prevent the occurrence of the outbreak of the disease hence people are advised to be vigilant and report persons with the above symptoms to the nearest government facility,” the commissioner noted.
PepsiCO has received the Stockholm Industry Water Award for its work to reduce water consumption in their operations and to help solve water challenges on a broad scale.
The World Water Week fountain
The Stockholm Industry Water Award jury recognised PepsiCo’s efforts to increase water efficiency. The global food and beverage company conserved nearly 16 billion litres of water in 2011, from a 2006 baseline, through the application of water saving equipment and technologies, creative recycling and re-use, and by deploying a water management system throughout its manufacturing facilities.
Award Committee Member and Director of Water Projects at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Joppe Cramwinckel, said: “PepsiCo has set and achieved a high standard for its own operations, and has demonstrated that responsible water use makes good business sense.”
The honourary award was presented to PepsiCo at a ceremony on Tuesday August 28, 2012 that took place during the World Water Week in Stockholm.
Ms. Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO of Pepsico said, “PepsiCo is honored to accept this award from the Stockholm Industry Water Award Jury. This prestigious award is validation of our water conservation efforts. Reducing our water usage drives cost reductions and reduces our overall environmental footprint, and so we’re innovating to make the most of every drop of water used.
“These water reduction efforts are part of our overall Performance with Purpose strategy, which includes our promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where the company operates.”
The Energy Commission of Nigeria’s (ECN) head offices building in Abuja is to wear a new look – albeit energy consumption wise, thanks to an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that will see the multi-storey edifice cut its power utilisation by 15,021 watts at peak period.
The Energy Commission of Nigeria’s head offices building in Abuja
It represents about 50 percent of the amount of energy spent on lighting.
Estimated to cost over N20 million, the project entails the energy efficiency retrofit of the structure, which will be undertaken within two months. The project is part of the wider $3 million UNDP-Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Nigeria Energy Efficiency Programme (NEEP), which aims at promoting energy efficiency in residential and public sector in the country.
But the ECN building retrofit, which is being handled by Schneider Electric Nigeria, officially commenced last Wednesday following a brief ceremony. According to Etiosa Uyigue, the NEEP National Project Coordinator, the retrofit entails the replacement of the existing over 400 fluorescent lamps with LED ones, power the third floor lighting solely with solar energy, install sensor switches in common rooms and standardise circuit to reduce energy losses.
L-R: Dr. Joseph Ali, Director, Solar Application, Energy Commission of Nigeria; Prof. E. J. Bala, Director, Renewable Energy, Energy Commission Nigeria; Dr. Adejuwon, Ag. Director, Climate Change Department, Federal Ministry of Environment; Prof. A. S. Sambo, Director General, Energy Commission of Nigeria; Ade Mamonyane Lekoedje, Country Director, UNDP Nigeria; Mr. Olumide Fatoki, Schneider Electric; A. Aliyu, Deputy Director, Energy Commission of Nigeria; Janthomas Hiemstra, Deputy Country Director (Programmes), UNDP Nigeria; Etiosa Uyigue, National Project Coordinator, UNDP GEF Energy Efficiency Programme; Engr. Shamm Kolo, Deputy Director, Consumer Protection Council; Engr. J. Ojosu, Director, Energy Planning and Analysis, Energy Commission of Nigeria
Olumide Fatoki of Schneider said that the project’s objective is to showcase the building as a model for public lighting using renewable energy. He described it has a landmark development in the sensitisation of the general public on the feasibility and benefits of green energy saving lamps.
He said, “Schneider is strongly committed to helping people make the most of their energy. This involves making the energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and, most of all, green. We commit to bring to this project our wealth of experience and knowhow to ensure its timely completion and delivery.”
The ECN Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. A. S. Sambo, expressed appreciation to the UN Systems for picking the ECN building for the retrofit, saying that the endeavour would go a long way towards making more energy available.
He urged government and private sector agencies to commit finance towards making their buildings energy efficient. Besides promoting energy efficiency best practices in public buildings in Nigeria, he noted that the retrofit would likewise set the example for other public buildings to follow.
According to him, the ECN energy efficient project features: the replacement of incandescent lamps with one million high quality compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) across the nation; establishment of the National Centre for Energy Efficiency and Conservation at the University of Lagos; national awareness creation/capacity building nationwide; energy efficiency awareness campaign through posters, leaflets, handbills, radio and TV displays; and walk-through energy audit across the nation.
UNDP Country Director, Ade Mamonyane Lekoedje, thanked the ECN management for hosting the UNDP/GEF Energy Efficiency Programme, saying, “It is a reflection of the strong commitment of the Nigerian government to the promotion of just energy efficiency, and also to the laying of a strong foundation for a smooth transition to a green economy.”
According to her, energy efficiency is one of the pillars of the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All (SEFA) programme which, she disclosed, would complement the ongoing efforts of the Federal Government to increase access to electricity – energy saved is energy generated.
“This initiative is also coming at a time when the UNDP and the GEF, working in partnership with our national partners, the ECN and Federal Ministry of Environment, is implementing a project aimed at promoting energy efficiency in Nigeria. To date the project has succeeded in carrying out several capacity development trainings of the National Orientation Agency (NAO), Consumer Protection Council (CPC), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA) and civil society organisations.
“The project is also currently working with the Standard Organisations of Nigeria (SON) to develop a comprehensive Energy Efficiency Policy and the necessary legal framework which will set a road map for the integration of energy efficiency considerations into national development processes and ultimately promote access to cleaner and sustainable energy. We are therefore very optimistic that the on-going GEF Energy Efficiency Programme is contributing significantly to the overall economic aspirations of the government of Nigeria.
“On our part, we will continue to support the Nigerian government to ensure that the objectives of the SEFA are achieved and will like to use this opportunity to call on other agencies of the Nigerian government, NGOs, international organisations, the diplomatic community and the private sector to give their support to this on-going laudable energy efficiency initiative and to emulate the good work of the ECN, by embracing energy efficient culture through practical retrofitting of their various installations as a way of conserving energy and addressing energy poverty in Nigeria. As we all know sustainable energy is the basis of sustainable development.”
President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, his ministers, and Kandeh Yumkella, the Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and co-Chair of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Group on Sustainable Energy for All, havelaunched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in Abujaand discussed the challenges and opportunities for the country and the region.
President Goodluck Jonathan
In the keynote address, which was delivered on Jonathan’s behalf by Vice President Namadi Sambo, Jonathan said: “Nigeria is fully committed to achieve the targets of sustainable energy for all by the year 2020”.
He urged UNIDO and other development partners to continue to support Nigeria in the country’s efforts to achieve sustainable energy for all – in order to “drive away poverty” and enhance overall socio-economic development.
In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2012 the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. In response, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative to mobilise action from all sectors of society to achieve sustainable energy for all.
The Secretary-General set three interlinked objectives to be achieved by 2030: providing universal access to modern energy services; doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
“Put simply, we will not achieve our goal of sustainable energy for all by 2030 without Nigeria,” said Yumkella. “I commend the President, and his government, for their leadership, as well as their efforts to expand energy access.”
The event, which in addition to Sambo featured the Ministers of Power and Water Resources, included sessions focused on the challenges and opportunities for Nigeria in the sector, financing infrastructure for 2030 and the integration of local and regional energy markets.
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Senate and the House of Representatives (Parliament) also participated in the launching to underscore the importance of achieving sustainable energy for all.
During the event, Jonathan, through Sambo, reiterated his government’s commitment to increase energy access, improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy.
The Nigerian Government’s engagement with the Sustainable Energy for All initiative will add to the significant momentum the initiative has generated this year. At the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June, substantial commitments to action were announced by Governments, the private sector and civil society.
It is no longer business as usual at Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited, where home seekers now no longer have to wait till after making full payment to become bona-fide property owners.
A laid out road network in Mainland Garden Estate, Mowe-Ofada
Hitherto, land in the firm’s “City Park Estate 1” could be purchased via the allocation of plots to subscribers after the payment of the entire value of the land. The estate is located at Ofada in Mowe within the Papalanto axis in Ogun State.
But the rules have been changed and a subscriber can now get physical allocation after only the initial deposit of the entire cost of the land is made. The innovation also entails the subscriber having the privilege to choose his/her plot(s) before initial deposit, as well as being allowed to commence building construction on the land even while still making subsequent payments.
Under a special price offer of N799,999, an intending beneficiary is expected to make an initial deposit that is 30 percent of the total cost. The balance is spread over 12 months. After the special offer period lapses, a plot would sell for N1, 149,999, which is required to be paid outright.
Palms Garden Estate, Mowe-Ofada
The road network, electrification, as well as perimeter fence are already in place, according to officials of Propertymart, who stated that the special offer would close by the end of September this year.
Managing director, Adeyinka Adesope, said, “Propertymart has changed the rules in its quest towards addressing real estate development challenges and making home ownership more convenient and affordable.
“Consequently we have introduced physical allocation to prospective customers while they are still paying for their plot(s), which is as flexible as paying for 12 months. As the environment changes, customers get more enlightened and it is important to yield to customer request.”
City Park Estate 1 is Propertymart’s fifth project. Previously inaugurated projects are Palms Gardens, Mowe-Ofada; Mainland Gardens, Mowe-Ofada, Palms Gardens, Abuja; and CitiView, Arepo.
Mainland Garden Estate
Estates like City Park Estate 2, Mowe-Ofada; The Grenadines CitiView, Arepo; and The Grenadines Lokogoma, Abuja have been introduced after City Park Estate 1.
While City Park 1 is just opposite Mainland Gardens, City Park 2 is located close to Palm Gardens, all at Mowe-Ofada, Ogun State.
All the estates have made remarkable progress in terms of infrastructural facilities development, such as roads, drainage channels, as well as powerline cabling. Prototype houses have also been built to showcase the house types earmarked for the scheme.
Scientists have said that the global changing weather pattern as well as the warming of the earth is responsible for the events that led to the deadly ocean surge that effected Lagos last week. The incident left about 10 people dead and several others missing.
Rescue officials attending to the dead
According to the experts, earth warming, which is the outcome of the removal of the planet’s natural shield from the harmful rays of the sun, is raising global temperature and causing ice in the Polar Regions to melt, thereby swelling the ocean and resulting in sea level rise.
Chairman, Nigeria Environment Study/Action Team (NEST), Prof. David Okali, said that ocean surge is prominent at this time due to water current from the Western Atlantic as a result of the El-Nino factor which, he submitted is not peculiar to Nigeria.
El-Nino is a climate pattern that causes extreme weather (such as floods and droughts) in many regions of the world.
A climatologist who lectures at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo, stressed that a temporary solution would not ease the effect of ocean in Lagos in particular and Nigeria in general.
He called for a comprehensive study of the nation’s coastline dynamics that would help understand the marine morphology of the country. He posited that climate change effect due to sea level rise would be better tackled through a marine research on an integrated coastal management zone.
The Professor of Climatology urged the Federal Government to put in place an effective adaptation mechanism, even as he clamoured more finance in the area of research to enable the Nigeria Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) function effectively.
According to him Nigeria would be able to combat the effect of climate change due to sea level rise which causes ocean surge more effectively through proper and adequate marine research.
Environmental activist, Titi Akosa, said that climate change is a global environmental challenge and that the Lagos State Government should put in place mechanism that would help the people adapt to its effect.
She said, “The early warning signal for disaster being announced by the government is not enough. If you instruct the people to relocate due to expected excessive rain and its effect in flood prone areas, where do they relocate to? All these are issues the government should begin to work towards. All these demolition and eviction is not good for the image of the state and even Nigeria as a whole. This would affect growth and development.”
The National Emergency Management (NEMA) has however described the incident as a natural disaster, but that the human-casualty was self-inflicted.
NEMA’s Director of Planning Research and Forecasting, Dr. Charles Agbo, said: “While the Atlantic Ocean surge is a natural phenomenon, the human casualty was attributed to man-induced disaster when humans engage in activities close to or on the sea without precautionary measures in place.
“The ocean surge at Kuramo Beach and other areas of Lagos was a natural phenomenon while the human casualty could be blamed on carelessness of people living too close to the danger of the coastline when early warning alert were raised by appropriate authorities on the effect of climate change and global warming.”
According to him, an assessment of the Lagos coastline by a team of NEMA officials has revealed that more beaches might be affected by wave tide.
But some of the residents who were evicted insist that the ocean surge was caused by the Eko Atlantic City project being championed by the state government. According to them, the sand filling at the Atlantic Ocean for reclamation of land is putting pressure on communities along the Lagos coastline.
Another group of residents disclosed that the government has been trying to evict them because it nursed plans of sell the land to private investors.
General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-osanyitolu, said that the residents and business operators on the beach were illegal occupants and not meant to be there.
He noted that the demolition and eviction of the residents were done for their good because the state government wanted to avoid more casualties from a possible future occurence.
On the issue of compensation for the displaced people, he emphasised that there would be no compensation or relocation as he advised them to go elsewhere to look for a better place for accommodation. He claimed the people were sensitised a long time ago on the need to leave the area but they chose to erect structures and make them permanent places of abode.
Tina Armstrong-Ogbonna recalls a recent experience when, against all odds, she offered a helping hand to a dying man on the streets of Lagos
Lagos
My office is located at a very strategic position between Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and the Government Residential Area (GRA) in Ikeja.. It is along the popular Adekunle Fajuyi Way. When you step outside the gate you are greeted by a chaotic presence of commercial motorcycle riders, popularly called “okada” who pack indiscriminately to pick or drop passengers. Every night the out gate of my office is a small community of traders, serving these okada men and passers-by. The trading entails the sale of recharge cards to food items such as yam, bean cake and “suya” (barbecued meat).. In a community like this it is not unexpected to have miscreants who are on the lookout for a prey.
On Monday the 5th of June 2012, a day after the Lagos Dana Airline fatal plane crash, every corner you turned people were discussing the incident. I was getting ready to go home but wanted to buy something, when I noticed an usual crowd of people just close to the office gate. My curiosity made me to move closer to behold a pathetic site of a man that appeared to be convulsing. As it is common in Lagos, on-lookers gathered but none of them was willing to offer a helping hand to the dying man. While some were not sure about about how it happened, others were scarred of talking as almost everyone was starring as life was beginning to leave the man who was on the bare ground. A woman was crying and begging anyone to assist so that the man could be given some assistance or taken to the nearest hospital. At this point, I asked if his mobile phone was in his pocket and someone gave it to me. I scrolled through the log of recent calls but there was no airtime on his mobile phone. I then recharged my phone with some airtime and started dialing the numbers on his phone. Some of the phone numbers were not going through. His sent messages were not available; I checked through his inbox messages and also contacted some of the numbers found there. I noticed that as the calls were not coming from his phone the respondents wanted to know who I was. I told them how their numbers were found on the man’s phone; I then called out the man’s number if they were familiar with the number on their phones. At some point the crowd of okada riders reduced from the scene as some people confirmed the man was dead. The man’s phone was not helping the situation as I could not recharge his phone with airtime because the keypads were weak and not responding. I decide to call the Lagos State Emergency Service number of 767 to come to the scene. Some of the people around me were murmuring that what we were doing would eventually put us in trouble, that if the Police should come to the scene we would all be arrested and taken to the Police Station for further questioning.
As all these went on, I was shaking deep down but kept my cool outwardly because I was now the person at the centre of the pandemonium. At a point some of the numbers we called started responding and asking of the location of the man. Lots of suggestions were coming from different passers-by, who advised me to be careful and some even asking me how I got the man’s mobile phone. The people I started out with in helping the man started to leave but I decided to help till when the victim’s family member or friend can be contacted.
I called a senior colleague to inform him of the situation and where I was just in case the situation turned unsavoury. One of the person I called earlier called back to inform me that she was on her way and would soon be with us. Out of the blues came two girls in their early 20s and they started screaming and crying in panic. One of them claimed to be the man’s daughter. At this point people tried to calm them down to explain what had happened. The friend of the daughter was rolling on the ground while the daughter was trying to call some family members. I felt a bit relieved when the Lagos State Emergency Service ambulance arrived to attend to the man. After some medical check they asked the large crowd of onlookers what happened to the man and nobody was willing to answer. I raised up my hand and told them how I called their number for emergency assistance, after I tried contacting numbers found on the man’s mobile phone. By this time, the man’s wife came to the scene as the daughter had contacted her elder brother who came with his mother.
The medical personnel confirmed that the man was lifeless but the wife in a state of shock disagreed and started calling on her husband’s name as she was praying for him. The emergency service officials told us we should have called earlier enough when the man was first noticed as the apparent delay in calling the emergency service worsened the man’s condition. Family members, which included the wife, son and daughter, along with her friend, began making plans to carry the lifeless body to the hospital.
I realised I had spent about two hours trying to be a good Samaritan and had to go back to the office for my bag. I learnt something in the course of my helping to contacting this poor, innocent man whose children confirmed was not really strong because he had a heart condition.
Most people when confronted with this kind of situation are afraid to help because they believe the police would arrest them and take them to the station for questioning. In most cases, such persons have ended up been implicated. Secondly, people should learn to save the phone numbers of their loved ones and family members in a way that, in case of an emergency, they could easily be identified. Last year, my immediate elder brother was involved in a fatal road accident that claimed the life of one of the four occupants of the vehicle and two others who later got paralysed.
In the accident, my brother lost his phone and all his personal belongings. The only phone number he could remember was my elder sister’s number because the number was easy to memorise. That was how the people who came to his rescue were able to contact us. When in a place surrounded by people, the individual that has volunteered to help should be careful because some pick-pockets could take advantage of the situation. When I was trying to help the man, I noticed how a young man always wanted to come close to touching my pocket and I caught him twice and gave him a knowing look which made him realise that I was aware of what he was up to. Because of the situation, I could not openly confront him.
Also, I have come to believe in the Lagos State emergency number of 767 and 112, which are toll-free. This was the second time I have personally called the numbers in an emergency situation and they responded. The first time was when a building was about collapsing around Maryland bus-stop opposite Channels Television and they came to the rescue, attesting that someone called their line about an emergency situation. I know people hardly believe when some government officials talk about how they would assist people, but I am a witness to the fact that that these emergency numbers are functional and the relevant agency would come to the rescue.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Lagos State Wastes Management Authority (LAWMA), Ola Oresanya, shares on issues related to waste management, PSP operators, waste-to-wealth initiative, among others.
OresanyaKindly give an insight on waste collection, management, and disposal in Lagos
In the last five to six years, we have increased the impetus when it comes to waste management in the state vis-à-vis transportation. In the last three years the authority has acquired many trucks, while the PSP initiative is also progressing. In a nutshell, in the last five years, we have acquired more than 500 trucks to drive our initiative and, by so doing, i can say without mincing words that we have done so much in the area of waste collection, management and disposal. Therefore,I can confidently say we are on track as far as our mandate is concerned. However, one is not unmindful of the fact that the issue of population poses serious challenge to our mandate. The state is moving to about 20 million people and this translates to about 10,000 metric tones of waste on a daily basis and this is very challenging. You will also agree with me that, in the last three years or so, Lagos has become very clean in respect of treatment of solid waste and rapid transformation of the environment at large.
How would you go about ensuring that Lagos is clean?
The media is one of the major assessors of the job that we are doing at LAWMA. Presently, we have different departments that take care of the issue of waste. Let me quickly mention here that, at LAWMA, we have a unit that handles the issue of marine waste that entails the collecting waste from the off-shore and at the same time from the foreshore of our lagoons. We equally intend to, in line with the mandate of His Excellency Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola that Lagos should be clean at all times, work towards ensuring that we keep faith with this mandate.
Tell us more about marine waste collection.
It is still very novel, just about two years that we commenced this marine waste operation and it has added value not only to the neighbourhood because it has actually reduced the pollution of the environment, clean water at the same time, we have good fish breeding on our waters now due to less pollutions and pollutants.
Let us take a look at the activities of the PSP operators. They seem to function more effectively in the urban centres. You hardly see them in the areas like Alakuko, Ijaiye, Ahmadiyyah, Agbado, among other places, yet they bring outrageous billings. What are you doing to ensure that their activities are felt in places aforementioned?
Apart from the economic down turn, the PSP operators have to make do with what they have. They are in business to break even and, also, to make profit. Therefore, the residents too should be ready to pay for their services. It must be stated that these payments must be predicated on the provision of good services. But be that as it may, the government is trying to encourage them by providing extra vehicles for them as a way of assistance in order to make them perform optimally. Let me mention here that a major challenge to the PSP operators is the issue of bad roads in the hinterland. Most of the in-roads pose challenges to the PSP operators especially during the rainy seasons. But the authority is encouraging them by asking them to procure smaller trucks that can navigate these inner roads, even as the government is in the process of acquiring smaller trucks for them in order to access most of these corridors. In not too distant future, the PSP operators would be able to reach all the nooks and crannies of the state.
How do you intend to check the excesses of some of the PSP operators?
There are a lot of sanctions that we have put in place for such people. For instance if we discover that an operator in a particular ward is not performing, we severe the ward into two and bring in another efficient operator. In other words, we reduce the coverage of that PSP operator, when we find out that he is not ready to improve on his services, we replace with another operator. We call it ‘cut and paste’. But this is usually a last resort because we don’t want them to lose the franchise but after about three or four warnings, we take the last option, which is replacement. But let me sound it loud and clear here that most of the PSP operators under our scheme have, so far, ensrihned best practices in the discharge of their duties. This development is not unconnected with the stiff conditions that we have put in place before giving franchise to an intending PSP operator.
Do you have any case of an operator that has gone through this severe sanction?
We have that but I don’t have the record at my disposal now but certainly we do have instances of PSP operators that have been given the highest form of sanction. But giving them the highest sanction or otherwise should not be the main thrust of our dealings with them but to strive towards making them conform to our standards.
How does an aggrieved subscriber vent his feelings whenever he or she is shortchanged by these under-performing PSP operators?
Journalists should assist the authority in disseminating the activities of LAWMA. If you notice any of these shortcomings, please don’t hesitate to call any of our toll-free lines like 5577 and I can assure you that we shall not fail to respond to your complaints. It is equally important to note that there is an advocacy unit that is mandated to go on a sensitisation programme. This is with a view to admonishing Lagosians of the need to patronise the PSP operators and also to let them know their rights in respect waste collection and payments.
How do you take the welfare of your sweepers into consideration, since they are exposed to danger every day in the course of their duty?
Lagos roads are usually very busy. Becuase of this development, we have engaged in series of workshops for our road sweepers with a view to knowing about road ethics and at the same time safety. In this case, we invite subject matter experts as facilitators such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), LASTMA, the Police and the NURTW among other stakeholders in the road sector. We even invite the okada riders in order to ensure that everybody is carried along on the issue of safety. Apart from all these, we also provide ‘C’ caution and wide spikes to protect them from danger on the road. We also inculcate in them the idea of placing the ‘C’ caution at a distance so that any motorist approaching would have seen the sign from afar. They are also indulged to face the traffic while sweeping because, in the past, most of them had been knocked down by careless drivers while sweeping backing the traffic. In addition to the issue of safety, we also take the issue of their health very seriously by providing for them a registered a clinic with an in-house doctor. Here, they are exposed to periodic medical checks for the purpose of ascertaining that they are in good and perfect health at all times.
What informed this idea of employing physically-challenged persons as staff, especially on some of the pedestrian bridges?
It is our own little way of assisting them and also to encourage them that it is not their own making that they are physically-chllenged. When you get to Charity bus stop, Ikeja Along bus stop, Oshodi, Onipanu bus stop, you find them sweeping these bridges. An interesting part of the whole concept is that these people are customized, they are branded as well, that is, they are always in LAWMA outfit consisting a fez cap, pull-over and reflective jacket. This is a sot of poverty alleviation.
A new Worldwatch Institute report examines the rise in subsides for renewable and fossil fuel-based energy production.
Coal, a fossil fuel
Total subsidies for renewable energy stood at $66 billion in 2010, but are still dwarfed by the total value of global fossil fuel subsidies estimated at between $775 billion and more than $1 trillion in 2012, according to new research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute for its Vital Signs Online service. Although the total subsidies for renewable energy are significantly lower than those for fossil fuels, they are higher per kilowatt-hour if externalities are not included in the calculations, write report authors from Worldwatch’s Climate and Energy team.
Estimates based on 2009 energy production numbers placed renewable energy subsidies between 1.7¢ and 15¢ per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while subsidies for fossil fuels were estimated at around 0.1-0.7¢ per kWh. Unit subsidy costs for renewables are expected to decrease as technologies become more efficient and the prices of wholesale electricity and transport fuels rise.
The production and consumption of fossil fuels add costs to society in the form of detrimental impacts on resource availability, the environment, and human health. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences estimates that fossil fuel subsidies cost the United States $120 billion in pollution and related health care costs every year. But these costs are not reflected in fossil fuel prices.
“These so-called hidden costs, or externalities, are in fact very real costs to our societies that are not picked up by the polluter and beneficiary of production but by all taxpayers,” said AlexanderOchs, Director of Worldwatch’s Climate and Energy program and report co-author. “Local pollutants from the burning of fossil fuels kill thousands in the U.S. alone each year, and society makes them cheaper to continue down their destructive path.”
Shifting official support from fossil fuels to renewables is essential for decarbonizing the global energy system. Such a shift could help create a triple win for national economies by reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, generating long term economic growth, and reducing dependence on energy imports.
According to projections by the International Energy Agency (IEA), if fossil fuel subsidies were phased out by 2020, global energy consumption would be reduced by 3.9 percent that year compared with having subsidy rates unchanged. Oil demand would be reduced by 3.7 million barrels per day, natural gas demand would be cut by 330 billion cubic meters, and coal demand would drop by 230 million tons of coal. And the effects of the subsidy removal would extend beyond the end of the phaseout period. By 2035, oil demand would decrease by 4 percent, natural gas by 9.9 percent, and coal demand by 5.3 percent, compared with the baseline projection.
Overall, carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 4.7 percent in 2020 and 5.8 percent in 2035. The IEA’s chief economist recently estimated that eliminating all subsidies in 2012 for coal, gas, and oil could save as much as Germany’s annual greenhouse gas emissions each year by 2015, while the emission savings over the next decade might be enough to cover half of the carbon savings needed to stop dangerous levels of climate change.
“At the same time, a phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies would level the playing field for renewables and allow us to reduce support for clean energy sources as well,” said Ochs. “After all, fossil fuels have benefited from massive governmental backing worldwide for hundreds of years.”
Progress toward a complete phaseout, however, has been minimal. The 2009 pledge by the Group of 20 major economies to reduce “inefficient fossil fuel subsidies” has been left vague and unfulfilled. The lack of a definition has left countries to make their own determination if their subsidies are inefficient. As of August 2012, G20 countries had not taken any substantial action in response to the pledge – six members opted out of reporting altogether (an increase from two in 2010), and no country has yet initiated a subsidy reform in response to the pledge. Furthermore, there continues to be a large gap between self-reported statistics and independent estimates in some countries.
Some argue that reducing subsidies would disproportionately affect the poor. An IEA survey of 11 developing and emerging countries, however, found that only 2-11 percent of subsidies went to the poorest 20 percent of the population, showing that subsidies tend to be regressive.
Tanzania will host the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF)) from September 26 to 28, 2012, the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Cooperatives, Christopher Chiza, and President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Jane Karuku, have disclosed.
Arusha, Tanzania
The meeting is said to be the next milestone in developing African-led food security solutions.
At the recent G8 Summit, global leaders including 21 African countries and 27 private sector companies committed $3 billion to a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, launching the next phase of the global food security effort to raise 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years.
The AGRF 2012 sets the stage for Africa’s leaders to drive the initiative by promoting investments and policy support to increase agricultural productivity and income growth for African farmers. During the forum, hosted at Arusha’s Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, global leaders will tackle leadership policy, revolutionizing African agricultural finance models, strengthening markets, and transforming African agriculture through innovative partnerships.
“Tanzania has long known farming is at the centre of our economy,” said Minister Chiza. “We are pleased to welcome leaders from across the continent and around the world to find new ways to scale the success we’ve seen in our own agricultural breadbasket.”
As the host nation, Tanzania’s recent agricultural growth represents a case study of what is possible. In the Kilombero District of Morogoro, the yields for maize have recently increased for some smallholder farmers from 1.5 to 4.5 tons per hectare; the yields for rice have increased from 2.5 to 6.5 tons per hectare.
“The goal of the government is to transform Tanzania into a middle-income country by 2025, fuelled, in a significant part, by growth in its agricultural sector,” Chiza added.
The forum brings together African Heads of State, ministers, private agribusiness firms, financial institutions, farmers, NGOs, civil society organizations and scientists to discuss and develop concrete investment plans for scaling agricultural development success in Africa. Tanzania will welcome notable guests including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair Melinda Gates, IFAD President Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, Nigerian Minister of Agriculture the Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, World Food Prize Laureate Prof. Gebisa Ejeta, and Yara International President & CEO Jørgen Ole Haslestad.
Following recent discussions at WEF Africa, the G8 and David Cameron’s Hunger Summit, the African Green Revolution Forum will continue to look for ways to unite the power of the public- and private-sectors in the global food security efforts.
“Public- and private-sector leaders are joining forces in unprecedented ways to ensure a more food secure future,” said Yara President and Chief Executive Officer, and co-chair of the forum, Mr. Jørgen Ole Haslestad. “We have seen great success when players come together and invest strategically – we hope to build on new momentum and work together to transform agriculture in Africa.”
The forum will remain focused on unlocking Africa’s agricultural potential by empowering smallholder farmers across the continent. By collaborating with farmer’s organisations, civil society and other partners, the discussion will explore new ways to provide resources, overcome challenges and improve yields for the millions of farmers who are working less than two hectares of land across the continent.
“Smallholder farmers are at the centre of all we do,” said AGRA President Jane Karuku. “Our approach is clear and proven – if we provide African farmers the tools they need to grow more and improve their incomes, they will help lead us all into a more prosperous future.”
