Recently, the media was awash with a story which ordinarily would not have grabbed the headlines. I cannot remember the last time a story about a water-related event enjoyed media attention like it did when the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, last week, inaugurated the N5.8bn Central Ogbia Regional Water Supply Project in Otuoke, the hometown of former president Goodluck Jonathan, in Bayelsa State.
Perhaps, it picked its sensational value from the ignoble truth that ours is a country so divided that developmental issues are sidestepped for political considerations. So, when a new President looks towards the hometown of a former president (from a different political party), people are shocked. In our winner-takes-all subconscious, any past project left midway by the past administration, should be left to rot; more so, when it is in the backyard of the leader of the old order.
I think Nigerians should give a well-deserved kudos to the present administration for its professionalism. Let’s call a spade a spade; President Muhammadu Buhari does not play politics with development. The Bayelsa project, which was started in 2011, and now completed by the water resources minister, is expected to supply 3.6 million litres of water every day to 13 communities in Ogbia Local Government Area.
At the event, the paramount ruler of the Otuoke community, Chief U. Otache, commended the Buhari administration for completing the project which he described as the first of its kind in recent years in the community. He said the community had been battling with the challenge of getting potable water, bad roads and lack of electricity; and called on the Federal Government to assist his people. If we can learn one lesson from the Otuoke water story, it is that we should unite and stop chasing shadows.
Indubitably, Adamu epitomises the quintessential Buhari dream cabinet member. Right from the time he took over the helms at the water resources ministry, he made it clear that there were countless abandoned projects in the sector nationwide; and that his priority was to complete them, rather than queue up more white elephants.
It will be interesting to note that because the water sector is relatively “invisible” in the socio-political scheme of things, Nigerians were not able to see the rot in the sector – used as siphon to steal our commonwealth while denying the citizens especially at the grass roots the infrastructure to live a healthy life.
I think that Nigerians also need to know that Adamu has kicked off the promised agricultural cluster youth enterprise, modelled after the Songhai Farms initiative, in the senatorial zones in order to harness the hitherto moribund job creation potential of the nation’s River Basins. At its kick-off in Kogi State, two months ago, 50 youths were empowered as a pilot. I specifically point this project out because of the nexus between water, agriculture, and job creation.
There is also a connection between water and Nigeria’s fight against climate change. Our Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will remain a mere document until we make all the right inter-sectoral connections. Our country through the INDC promised the world to reduce its carbon emissions, as our contribution to the global fight against climate change.
Some of the strategies we pledged are energy efficiency in the industries, homes, businesses and vehicles, and increased use of natural gas in generators and renewable energy. Other measures include stopping gas flaring, capture of gas, and setting standard for appliances, generators, buildings; and climate smart agriculture. All is expected to lead to $4.5bn benefits to the country.
There is no better time than now to look at the INDC because we are about to seal our commitment to the world. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, had announced that President Buhari would formally join other leaders of countries that have ratified the Paris Climate Change agreement at the 71st Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly which kicked off this Tuesday (September 13).
It is remarkable that Nigeria joins others now because there is every indication that this second phase of the Kyoto Protocol will be quickly finalised unlike the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. China and the USA, the two highest emitters, have ratified the document; and Brazil, another big emitter, also approved it at the beginning of this week. If Buhari signs on, Nigeria shall be sending a strong signal to the international community that we are fully engaged in leading Africa to address climate change issues.
Moreover, Buhari shall then find a strong voice to engage fellow world leaders on issues of environmental sustainability, desertification, erosion and flooding, which are posing serious threats to the Nigerian environment. And, perhaps, the funds to reflate Lake Chad shall start trickling in.
The Paris Agreement – which was put together last December in Paris – was opened for signature on April 22, 2016, at a high-level signature ceremony convened in New York by the Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, who is the official Depositary. At the ceremony, 174 States and the European Union signed the agreement and 15 States also deposited their instruments of ratification.
As of September 7, there are 180 signatories to the Paris Agreement (Nigeria inclusive). Of these, 27 States have also deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval – accounting in total for 39.08% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions (this was before Brazil, who emits 2.48 per cent, joined this week).
In accordance with Article 21, paragraph 1, of the Paris Agreement, the Agreement shall enter into force on the 13th day after the date on which at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least an estimated 55 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary.
I am so excited because I can feel that the world is about to experience, for the first time, a quick, rancour-free climate engagement. From the head to the tail, everything is fast falling into place. To illustrate, Brazil, the country that is home to the largest tropical rainforest on Earth (whose emissions are not from factories but majorly from deforestation), has ratified the Paris Agreement.
Then, America and China, whose combined emissions alone are responsible for 38 per cent of global GHG emissions, have ratified. Note: These two are the most difficult Parties to the Kyoto Protocol because they are always at the forefront of deadlocks. Note also: America never ratified that Protocol. But, today, these two great, polluting, economies are singing the same song. So, I say to the world, congratulations!
Back to Nigeria. For us to be taken seriously, we must be strategic in the INDC implementation. We must tell ourselves the truth: There is no concrete plan on the ground, yet.
This is why I propose that even the water sector be involved in this. Not only will it help in utilising climate smart agriculture, but the water, sanitation and hygiene sector could be pivotal to fighting climate change. Other developing countries utilize WASH to generate renewable energy; why won’t Nigeria? Adamu, the water resources minister, has a project in the pipeline which aims at mobilizing the private sector for WASH; let us tap his genius in fighting climate change too.
PUNCH
