Nigeria Works With Traditional Institutions To Protect, Preserve Environment, Says Minister

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, has stated that the Nigerian government will continue to work with traditional institutions in the country, particularly in the protection and preservation of the environment by discouraging tree felling and promoting clean cooking.

The Minister made the announcement during a courtesy visit to the Ministry on Thursday by His Royal Highness, Alh. Ibrahim Usman Jibrin, Emir of Nasarawa and former Minister of Environment.

Balarabe stated that the Ministry is doing a lot to address environmental issues such as plastic waste, erosion and flooding, desertification, drought control, and other climate change challenges.

He assured the visiting monarch that as the former Minister of Environment, he would build on his legacy and carry out the Ministry’s mandate in accordance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the Environment.

Earlier, his Royal Highness, Alh. Ibrahim Usman Jibrin, Emir of Nasarawa and former Minister of Environment, praised the Ministry’s staff for addressing the country’s environmental challenges and assured the Minister of the Traditional Institutions’ unwavering support to carry out the Ministry’s mandate.

The Emir urged the Ministry to work collaboratively to promote environmental sustainability, emphasising that “the environment is the only one we have, so let us make it conducive.”

In another development, the Honourable Minister welcomed the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Nigeria, H. E Salem Saeed, on an official working visit to the Federal Ministry of Environment, where important bilateral discussions focused on environmental issues such as the recently concluded COP28 held in Dubai, UAE last year, plastic pollution challenges, desertification control, tree planting, erosion and flood control, among others.

The Minister praised the UAE for hosting the event, as well as the President of COP28, Sultan al-Jabar, who provided the outcome of the discussions with an agreement that signals the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era by laying the groundwork for a swift, just, and equitable transition, supported by deep emissions cuts and increased financing.

Balarabe went on to say that Nigeria and the UAE have many areas of collaboration, particularly in terms of the outcomes of COP28 decisions.

He also praised the President of the UAE for resuming flights to the country and beginning visa issuance to Nigerians on October 1, 2024.

Earlier, H. E Salem Saeed, Ambassador of the UAE to Nigeria, congratulated the Honourable Minister of Environment on his well-deserved appointment and stated that the Ministry is doing well, particularly Nigeria’s participation in the Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai last year.

Saeed stated that Nigeria and the UAE would continue to collaborate and partner in areas of mutual interest in environmental sustainability.

It should be noted that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosted the COP28 last year in Dubai under the slogan “UNITE, ACT, DELIVER.”