By DAMILARE ADELEYE
In a move to ensure the advancement of his administration’s climate and green economic initiatives, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed his Spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action.
Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information & Public Relations of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, in a statement made available on Sunday, said Ngelale will serve in this role as part of a larger Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions.
Imohiosen added that the committee will coordinate and oversee all policies and programmes on climate action and green economic development.
The new committee, which has the President as its Chairman also includes thie Minister of Environment, Mr. Balarabe Lawal as its Vice-Chairman, and Ajuri Ngelale as its Secretary/Special Presidential Envoy.
Members are the CEOs of, InfraCorp, Mr. Lazarus Angbazo; National Council on Climate Change, Mr. Salisu Dahiru; Infrastructure Council Regulatory Commission, Mr. Michael Ohiani, Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, Mrs. Aisha Rimi and National Social Investment Fund, Mr. Aminu Umar-Sadiq.
The committee also consists of the CEOs of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, Mr Yusuf Maina-Bukar, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mr Abdullahi Mustapha; Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu; CreditCorp, Uzoma Nwagba, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Khalil Halilu Member, Solid Minerals Development Fund, Fatima Shinkafi; CBN Deputy Governor (Deputy Governor, Corporate Services Directorate) Mr Bala Bello; UN SE4ALL, Lolade Abiola; Member and an Adviser to the NCCC Adviser, Teni Majekodunmi.
Others are representatives of the Federal Ministries of FCT, Finance, Industry, Trade & Investment, Water Resources, and Agriculture & Food Security.
The committee also consists of representatives from the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigeria Customs Service.
The OSGF outlined eight objectives of the Presidential Committee. They are to:
“Identify, develop, and implement innovative non-oil & non-gas climate action initiatives.
“Coordinate all activities of relevant federal institutions towards the attainment of all agreed climate action and green economic objectives and non-oil/non-gas ambitions of the federal government.
“Collaborate with all relevant government, subnational governments, non-government, and civil society entities towards the attainment of the climate action objectives and ambitions of the federal government.
“Collaborate with national governments and multilateral institutions towards the attainment of the climate action objectives and carbon market ambitions of the federal government.
“Monitor, evaluate, and guide the progress of all climate action and renewable energy projects and activities of the federal government.
“Track and guide the implementation of initiatives and developments conducted by the Energy Transition Working Group.
“Supervise the work of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen and
“Prepare a half-yearly green ambitions update, covering all associated climate action achievements of the federal government.”
Imohiosen noted that President Tinubu remains committed to achieving Nigeria’s green economy objectives on the path of a just energy transition while unlocking new investments in this critical sector that is central to the nation’s economic future.
