National Council to reposition environment sector for economic recovery

In line with the recently launched Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), 2017-2020 economic blue print of the government, stakeholders in the environment sector meeting in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital from Monday 16th to Wednesday 18th October, 2017 for the 11th National Council on Environment (NCE) will deliberate on how to re-engineer and expand the frontiers of the sector to meaningfully contribute to a speedy economic recovery.
Specifically, deliberations during the council meeting would be guided by the present challenges, aspirations and policy direction and focus encapsulated in the ERGP which defines and determines the new narrative and vision of the Buhari administration for the sector.
Minister of State, Environment, Mr. Ibrahim Usman Jibril, who briefed the press on the activities of Ministry of Environment since he assume office and the NCE in Abuja at the weekend stressed that “with proper harnessing and leveraging on our natural resources the root of our economic recovery will be faster when we consciously support the green economy by investing in the environment sector to increase other sources of revenue in the Nigeria economy.
“These opportunities include repositioning of the National Agency for Great Green Wall (GGW), Environment Sound of Chemicals Management, Watershed Management, Renewable Energy, Eco-Tourism, Green Bond, Afforestation/Reforestation, Implementation of the UNEP Report and the Hydrocarbon Pollution remediation Project.
The minister posited that green economy has become a veritable tool for economic growth and diversification in countries that are not even endowed with natural resources as Nigeria, adding that it has become a fulcrum of national economic advancement as it cuts across every aspects of a nation’s economy.
He went further, “it is in light of this that theme for this year’s National Council for Environment “Unlocking the Investment opportunities in the Environment sector towards Nigeria’s Economic Recovery, Diversification Growth and Sustainable Development” is quite apt in view of the policy thrust of this government”.
The 2017 Council meeting is the 11th edition in the Ministry’s NCE series to be held so far.