Skip to main content

Media Body moves to make Kaduna Residents more Environment-friendly

 

Media Executives and Environmentalists at the event

By EDDY OCHIGBO,

In a renewed move to make residents more environment friendly and halt the fast changing climate - largely due to negative human activities - a Kaduna-based outfit, Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF), during the week trained Journalists and critical stakeholders on specialized environment reporting; disaster risk reduction with special emphasis on disaster management, to augment and stimulate participation in mitigating climate change.

AMDF's Deputy Executive Director Sekyen Dadik, while outlining the strategies of her organization to carry all and sundry along in the campaign to mitigate climate change lamented:

"No doubt, the Earth’s climate has always been changing, but because of human activities it is now changing faster than it has for thousands of years. This climate change is here to stay, and it will affect all of our lives and nearly every aspect of society, from our health and foods supplies to business and national economies".

The training dwelt extensively on practical approaches to compelling stories on environment; what constitutes stories that influence policy direction and decision; how to develop compelling stories ideas that can change negative attitude towards the environment; and equipping the media with the right tools of environmental news reporting.

On his part, AMDF's Executive Director Iliya Kure - himself an accomplished journalist - listed the objectives of the one-day media round table and training to include:

* tips on practical approaches to compelling environment stories;

* how to develop and package stories that can influence policy direction and decision;

* essentials of stories that change negative attitude towards environmental issues; and 

*how to inform and educate media audience on food security and related issues.

While stating the stages of disaster management, disaster risk reduction, risk, hazard, including early warning systems as well as the know how to strengthen governance systems on disaster risk reduction, especially in disaster prone communities, Kure 

told participants that his organization has since inception, been involved in bringing to the fore individuals and communities vulnerable to possible disasters and the need for preventive measures as the case may be.

In a related development, the Kaduna state government has commenced the implementation of integrated waste management system, using the what it calls 'polluter pays' principle to ensure sustainability.

While dropping the hint during the week, when members of the Network for Civil Society in Environment (NCSE), paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Kaduna, the state's Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Ja'afaru Sani pointed out that under the new system, the government has shifted the cost of evacuation and waste disposal to residents. 

"The Kaduna State Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA) and the state Internal Revenue Service are currently developing a software that will integrate all residents to a payment system", the Commissioner revealed.

Members of Network of Civil Society Organization in Environment, in a Group Photograph with Kaduna State Commissioner for Environment

Earlier, NCSE, Coordinator, Gloria Bulus, who led the delegation, told the commissioner that the visit was to establish a working relationship between the state government and the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the environment sector.

Dangwa Danjuma of the Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED), who was part of the NCSE team reiterated that the purpose of visit was to appeal to the Honourable Commissioner to replicate the reforms he brought about in education and local government where he served in a similar capacity and established the Kaduna Basic Education Accountability Mechanism and Local Government Accountability Mechanism at both state and local levels.

"For about two years now, we have been engaging the Ministry on the need for a permanent dialogue mechanism for the environment sector to improve the level of public participation and multi-sectoral approach to challenges facing the sector in Kaduna State. This time however, we are confident we are talking with the right person, being a reformed minded public servant with good understanding of Kaduna State's Government's commitment to open, transparent and accountable governance.", Danjuma said. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

TRIBUTE: Dr Bala Takaya 1930 - 2018

  Bala John Takaya (2nd Left) at a function recently By Nasiru Jagaba Again, with rude shock, death has come upon us in the early hours of Sunday, 27th May, 2018. It is with deepest regret that the Middle Belt Youth Wing of Middle Belt Forum mourns the death of our President, Father, Mentor, and a tireless advocate of equity, fairness and justice, Dr Bala John Takaya, the President of Middle Belt Forum has silently closed the door of life and departed from us, never to return.  68 years old Takaya, an unparalleled University Senior Lecturer, a distinct politician who served as the  Secretary to State Government of the old Gongola State, a member of the 1987 Political Bureau. On the fight to restore democratic system of governance, he worked hand in hand with Chief Solomon Lar. Also, in 1999 he was the governorship candidate of the All People’s Party, APP later ANPP.  He is much esteemed in the community of Middle Belt and generally recognized as on...

Open Government: Expert cautions Kaduna on Open Budget

A summary of the state government's commitment to open budget By DANGWA DANJUMA T he Kaduna State Fiscal Responsibility Law (2016), should be reviewed to guarantee citizens participation in the budget process. Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development's (CALPED) Head of Leadership, Governance and Advocacy, Yusuf Ishaku Goje who dropped the hint, maintained that "an amendment bill of the Fiscal Responsibility Law (FRL, 2016) should also be sent to the House of Assembly to capture the CDCs as an integral part of budget process". This, he said would surely, "boost citizen’s confidence in the State government and ensure we deliver on the OGP key performance indicators on open budget." During this year’s budget formulation, CDCs generated from some of the local government areas were submitted to the Planning & Budget Commission, but no evidence to show that a single one was captured in the 2020 approved budget....

Kaduna's 'Comprehensive Urban Renewal Programme'

A comprehensive roads-repairs-and-rehabilitation programme has reached an advanced stage to address the worrisome condition of urban and sub-urban roads in Kaduna state, as part of a renewed and systematic approach of the Kaduna State Roads  Agency  (KADRA) to deliver dividends of democracy. KADRA’s Managing Director, Engr Lawal Mohammed Magaji who made this known in his office, in a chat with correspondents and leading members of the civil society who paid him a courtesy visit to be abreast of operations and the workings of KADRA revealed that the agency has bought into Commitment 2 of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), of the Governor el-Rufai-led administration, which has to do with openness and transparency. “ I am very delighted by your visit. I used to have a wrong impression of some civil society organizations. Initially I thought civil societies were there to confront government and fine fault where there is none. I now think differently, especially given ...

COVID-19, Public Spending and Accountability in Kaduna State.

Hand washing in compliance with Covid-19 protocols   By YUSUF GOJE T he way Kaduna State government is handling the Covid-19 pandemic can be faulted on other grounds but not on the pro-activeness and decisiveness with which it is confronting the resultant public health crisis and its socio-economic consequences. Objectively speaking, the decisions, many of which  are controversial, remain the most viable alternative for any serious government to take in emergencies like this. After all, unusual times require unusual measures.  The Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-rufai, on various public platforms has disclosed his readiness to face any resultant consequences of such decisions. Now that the government is getting a hold on how to contain the spread of the pandemic, even though the numbers keep rising, it is time for citizens to begin to also ask the right questions. This is necessary because the global economy is contracting at an accelerated pace. Sub-...

Expert advocates for prudence and and accountability in Treasury Management

                                                                   By EDDY OCHIGBO L ack of efficient and prudent treasury management in the country have been identified as the source of fraud and sharp practices in nation's public and private sector. Dropping the hint during a breakfast meeting with Correspondents in Kaduna during the week, the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Treasury Management of Nigeria, Mr Adedoyin Olumide, reiterated that poor treasury management remains the bane of public and private finance utilization in the country, calling for greater synergy among all professionals in accounting, banking and finance. He disclosed tha...