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Sahara Group urges enforceable policies to support climate protection in Africa
Modupe ASUDO
LAGOS- IN commemoration of the 2019 ‘Environment Day’, energy giant Sahara Group has advocated the need for more stakeholder collaboration in the design and adoption of enforceable policies and regulation that can effectively curb the menace of climate change in Africa.
June 5 of every year is celebrated globally as World Environment Day. The theme for this year is: #BeatAirPollution.
Pearl Uzokwe, Director, Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group said while it was commendable that some African nations had started implementing several environmental protection policies, the continent requires “holistic and tailored multi-stakeholder cooperation to achieve sustainable milestones.”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 9 out of 10 people in the world are exposed to polluted air and worse still, air pollution kills 7 million people each year. A new World Bank report found that air pollution costs the global economy more than $5 trillion annually in welfare costs, with the most devastating damage occurring in the developing world.
Uzokwe said Africa needs to establish incentives that promote investments in renewable energy, pollution control technologies, energy efficiency and clean production mechanism to combat air pollution effectively. “Quite impressively, we have seen policies targeted at increasing industrial energy efficiency and reducing fuel sulphur content for refined petroleum products (Afri4); increasing investments in public and non-motorized transport systems and improving access to clean cooking and heating fuels. What we need now is a higher level of commitment and cooperation from governments, energy companies, regulators, civil society and other stakeholders to ensure these policies are backed by laws and enforced as appropriate across the continent,” she said.
Uzokwe said Sahara’s commitment to protecting the environment inspired the recent partnership between Sahara Energy Resources DMCC Dubai and Brooge Petroleum and Gas Investment Co (BPGIC) geared towards setting up an oil refinery with up to 250,000 barrel per day capacity to produce clean bunker fuel in the Emirate of Fujairah. The facility will be one of the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa to comply with the new regulations of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) 2020 by capping sulfur content in shipping fuels.
Working through West Africa Gas Limited (WAGL), a Joint Venture between Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Sahara Group, the energy conglomerate contributes to the supply of Liquefied Natural Gas to enhance access to clean and safe energy in Africa via WAGL’s ultramodern vessels, MT Africa Gas and MT Sahara Gas.
In addition, Sahara recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to facilitate access to affordable and sustainable energy in Africa.
“Sahara Group is constantly reviewing its business practices to promote effective environmental governance, resource efficiency and ecosystem management. We are passionate about pursuing and promoting multi stakeholder collaboration between regional and global organisations to drive the achievement of Goals 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Action) across the world,” Uzokwe added.
A gas cylinder explosion at a filling station in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State has resulted in significant damage to six vehicles, according to a statement from the Katsina State Police Command.
The command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed the incident, which occurred on Friday, November 15, 2024.
He explained that a loud explosion alerted police operatives from the Jibia Divisional Police Headquarters. Responding promptly, the Divisional Police Officer led a team to the site, supported by military personnel.
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“Upon arrival, operatives found a truck loaded with gas cylinders engulfed in flames at Tamal filling station, along Kagadama-Magamar Jibia Road,” Sadiq-Aliyu stated. The joint team acted swiftly, deploying measures to protect lives and limit property damage. Their efforts successfully extinguished the fire.
The spokesperson added, “Six motor vehicles were significantly affected by the fire incident, but fortunately, no life was lost.”
State Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Abubakar-Musa, has directed a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosion. Updates on the findings will be provided as investigations progress.
This incident highlights the need for heightened safety measures at gas filling stations to prevent such occurrences.
Students of the University of Calabar have raised serious concerns about the deteriorating condition of several hostels on campus, with many fearing that the buildings could collapse due to structural damage.
The alarming situation was highlighted during a phone-in segment of the university’s Unical International Radio programme, What I Will Do If I Had Power to Run Unical, on Thursday evening.
Students, particularly those residing in Hostels 8 and 9, expressed deep worry about the growing number of cracks appearing on the walls, exacerbated by the ongoing heavy rains in Calabar.
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These cracks, they fear, could lead to the collapse of the structures, posing a significant safety risk to residents.
Jane, a female student from Malabo Republic, spoke out on the programme, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the issue.
She said, “If I had the power to run this school, the first thing I would do is initiate a massive renovation of the hostels, especially those in Malabo Republic.
“The cracks in the walls of halls 1, 2, 4, 8, and 9 are major safety concerns. The rains we’ve been having could worsen the situation and lead to a disaster. These walls could cave in at any time, and the consequences could be devastating.”
Other students echoed similar concerns, highlighting the lack of basic amenities such as electricity, which has contributed to unhygienic conditions within the hostels.
This has led to unhealthy activities in the dormitories, further adding to the students’ frustrations.
In response to the complaints, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Florence Bankong Obi, assured the students that the issue had been noted and that action would be taken to address the dilapidated state of the hostels.
“We are aware of the situation, and it has already been included in our plans for immediate action,” Prof. Obi stated.
The students are now calling on the university administration, as well as the Students’ Union Government, to prioritize the renovation of the hostels and ensure the safety and well-being of all residents.
The Ikeja High Court has scheduled January 23 for the hearing of a high-profile defamation case filed by renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, musician and activist Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, against social media personality Vincent Otse, also known as “VeryDarkMan” (VDM).
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel for Falana and Falz, Mr. Muiz Banire (SAN), informed the court that the necessary documents, including the originating process, had been filed and served to the opposing party.
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Banire added that a motion on notice was served on October 25, though Justice Matthias Dawodu noted that the originating process was not currently before the court.
To address the matter, Banire requested an adjournment to allow for administrative filings to be properly completed.
“In this circumstance, my lord, the best thing to do is to adjourn the matter so that we can go back to the registry to file all the administrative processes,” Banire told the court.
In response, counsel for VeryDarkMan, Mr. Marvin Omorogbe, raised concerns about the procedural validity of the case, asserting that there was no valid writ of summons before the court.
Omorogbe argued that the current writ was legally invalid and urged the court to dismiss the case on those grounds.
Justice Dawodu ultimately granted the adjournment request, setting the hearing for January 23 to allow the claimants time to address the procedural issues.
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