President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a work plan for the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC).
The President conveyed his approval at the inaugural meeting of the Council, chaired by him, with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as Vice Chairman, and the Director-General of NCCC, Dr Salisu Dahiru, as Secretary.
The President also approved the deployment of staff from key Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to the Council to ensure its effective take-off.
He emphasized the need to ensure a smooth take-off and operationalisation of the Council, President Buhari approved the proposed Institutional Arrangement, (Organogram) for the Council, as presented.
He gave approval for the operationalisation of the office space to provide a conducive working environment for the Council, and development of Open Market Carbon Trading Framework and Infrastructure (Phase I), in collaboration with Rosehill Group Limited.
At the meeting, the President approved that the Energy Transition Plan and Office be subsumed into the NCCC to ensure continuity and sustainability of the initiative in accordance with the Climate Change Act 2021.
The President also endorsed the Council as the Designated National Authority for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the DG, NCCC as the UNFCCC National Focal Point, in line with the Climate Change Act 2021.
He noted that the Plan would provide the sustainable framework for all climate related activities in Nigeria and also provide surest tool for engagement with the global community.
The President recalled that he had assented to the Bill setting up the National Council on Climate Change, which was followed by the appointment of the Director-General and subsequent inauguration of the Council on the 28th September, 2022.
The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, said with the unflinching support of the President, Nigeria was set to take the lead on climate change issues, biodiversity, wild life conservation, and energy transition plan implementation in Africa in line with her commitments under the UNFCCC.
He thanked the President for his strong leadership of the Pan Africa Agency of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW), the Sahel and Sahara Initiative, Climate Commission of the Sahel Region and the Lake Chad Basin Development Authority.
The Director-General of the Council, Dr Salisu Dahiru, while presenting the first memorandum of the agency that is leading Nigeria’s response to Climate Change, apprised members on the need to operationalise the body.
According to him, since the inauguration of the 23–member Council by the President, the Secretariat had developed a draft Institutional Arrangement (Organogram) for the Council; proposed vision and mission of the Council; inclusion of the Council in the 2023 National Budget and harmonised Nigeria’s response to climate change for COP27.
Among other actions, Dr. Dahiru said they had held discussions with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria Ltd (INFRACORP), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and other relevant partners to ensure success.
‘‘The Council has developed a proposed institutional organogram that has the Director General as the Head/CEO of the Secretariat, and reports to the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, being the Chairman of the Council, and 6 (six) Directorates and different Divisions for an effective implementation of its mandates,’’ he said.
Reporting by Abdullah Bello; Editing by Chinasa Ossa, Julian Osamoto & Adeniyi Bakare