GREEN ECONOMY: PRESIDENT TINUBU URGES NIGERIANS TO EMBRACE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES 24-10-23
By Sadiq Aminu President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace healthy environmental practices that will reverse the currently bedevilling the environment.
The President made the call at the opening of the first ever Subnational Green Summit organised by the Niger State Government in Minna the State Capital.
Green Economy according to the United Nations Environment Programme, is an economy that focus on improved human development and social equity, while at the same time reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.
The Summit by the Niger State Government which is the first subnational Green Summit to be organized by any State in the country is therefore aimed at achieving these UN goals.
President Bola Tinubu explained that the absence of Green Economy is a global reality whose negative impact is already visible across the country.
The President represented by the Minister of State Agriculture and Food Security Sabi Abdullahi said it was in view of the importance Government attached to the Environment that the Federal Executive Council approved a new Solid Minerals Development Policy to reduce the pressure of activities that are injurious to the environment.
The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Mrs Amina Mohammed who virtually joined the summit, said to achieve Goal thirteen of the UN which calls for urgent action on combating climate change and its impacts, focus must shift to improve access to renewable energy to restore green economy.
The convener of the Summit and Governor of Niger State Mohammed Umar Bago stated that the State has the largest landmass in the country with many of it’s natural resources being threatened naturally and artificially.
Governor Bago said this necessitated government to take measures including organizing the summit to check the effect of the Climate Change and environmental degradation for the socio-economic development of the State.
A former President, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former Governor of Niger State Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and the Governor of Borno State who were among the various speakers said the platform provided an opportunity to discuss on green economy and urged the State Government to implement the recommendations of the Summit attendded by local and foreign investors.
The theme of the Summit, is sustainable Future, Harnessing Green Assets and Innovations for Prosperity.