By Adedapo Adesanya

The Lagos State government will begin the full enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics on July 1 after recent delays.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, explaining that the state government has been intentional and strategic with 18 months of dialogue, engagement and transition.

Mr Wahab noted that within the space of almost 18 months, the government had a series of stakeholders’ engagements with marketers and producers of these products.

The state government in January 2024 banned the use of Styrofoam across the state, a decision that elicited reactions from residents, especially traders in deal in the sale of the product.

However, the Commissioner said the government had given an ample time to align with global best practices, noting that what is unacceptable elsewhere cannot become standard in Lagos.

“We re-emphasised this stand during a courtesy visit by management of TETRA PAK West Africa Limited, led by the Managing Director, Mr Haithem Debbiche.

“This is about environmental responsibility. And we have given an ample time to align with global best practices. What is unacceptable elsewhere cannot become standard in Lagos. We must protect our future and do what is right for the greater good.

“We’re not here to score points. We’re here to do the work. Just like with the successful enforcement of the styrofoam ban, we will insist on accountability and responsibility. A cleaner, healthier Lagos is within reach if we all play our part,” he stated.

In June, 2024, the federal government announced the ban on single-use plastics in ministries, departments and agencies of government.

The Minister of State for Environment, Mr Iziaq Salako, stated this when he briefed reporters at the Presidential Villa after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

The Minister said the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management which was adopted in 2020, envisages that by January 2025, some categories of plastics, most of which are single-use, would be banned in Nigeria.

Mr Salako said the ban aligned with the government’s commitment to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution, which had become menacing challenges in the country.

The minister said plastic waste often clogs drains and contributes to flooding, while also polluting the oceans and affecting human health and the environment.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The African Energy Bank (AEB) have entered their final phase with a launch to be carried out soon.

This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Mr Heineken Lokpobiri, noting that key legal and governance frameworks for the project had been concluded, while capital mobilisation discussions had recorded encouraging commitments from both member nations and private investors.

AEB, a newly established financial institution created to support energy development across Africa, seeks to mobilise capital for energy infrastructure projects in the face of declining foreign investment due to the global energy transition.

It has an initial capital target of $5 billion, with plans to scale up to $120 billion subsequently. Funded by Afreximbank, African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO) member states, national oil companies, and private sector investors, the bank is headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria.

Last week, the junior oil minister held a high-level review meeting in Abuja, where he hosted the President of Afreximbank, Mr Benedict Oramah, and Secretary-General of APPO, Mr Farouk Ibrahim.

“The AEB is poised to become a transformative financing platform for energy projects across the continent. This review confirms that every critical milestone is either completed or on schedule, and we remain fully aligned with our continental partners.

“Many thanks to President Bola Tinubu for his support and commitment to seeing this project to fruition.” he said in a statement in Abuja signed by the Special Adviser, Media and Communication, to the minister, Ms Nneamaka Okafor.

The minister emphasised that Nigeria’s role as host country reflected its long-standing leadership within Africa’s hydrocarbons sector.

He reiterated the stakeholders’ commitment to transparency and efficiency throughout the final preparatory stages.

“Our collective focus is on delivering a bank that catalyses investment, accelerates energy security, and drives economic growth across Africa,” Mr Lokpobiri added.

In his remarks, the APPO chief, Mr Ibrahim, commended the pace of work, saying, “We are impressed by Nigeria’s dedication to meeting the stringent requirements for bank establishment. The collaboration we witnessed today signals a unified resolve to deliver affordable, sustainable energy to Africans.”

In his remarks, Afreximbank’s Mr Oramah stated that the bank was ready to deploy its structuring expertise and capital base to ensure AEB was launched with the strength and credibility required to attract global co-investors.

During the briefing, the parties confirmed that a definitive launch timeline and inaugural board meeting date had been fixed and will be announced shortly.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A federal lawmaker from Oyo State, Ms Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, has denied allegations that she collected N1 billion meant to support rural development efforts and address socio-economic and infrastructure challenges in her constituency.

The funding support, termed capital project allocation, is usually facilitated by the lawmakers at the National Assembly and released by the federal government to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for each constituency.

It was speculated that Ms Akande-Sadipe, a member of the House of Representatives representing Oluyole Federal Constituency, has received about N1 billion.

But in a statement issued by her media team on Monday, the lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on Humanitarian Services, described reports that she and others have been getting N1 billion each since the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 as misleading.

“This statement is false, misleading, and misrepresents the ongoing efforts of the federal government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu,” a part of the statement made available to Business Post read.

She stressed that no legislator receives funds directly for the implementation of constituency projects, noting that all interventions by the central government are executed by relevant MDAs as stipulated in the national budget.

However, Ms Akande-Sadipe stated that the recent policy development in 2025 budget proposed an increase in the capital project allocation for each federal constituency to N1 billion., stating that this was only recently introduced.

“This development is a strategic response to the rising inflation and increased government revenues following the removal of petroleum subsidies and the floating of the foreign exchange rate.

“This policy was not part of the 2023 or 2024 budgets. It is a new initiative, reflected the first time, in the 2025 budget proposal and its implementation is expected to commence later this year through the first quarter of 2026,” she clarified

She commended President Tinubu’s foresight and administration for ensuring proper execution of projects through appropriate MDAs, stating, “As with previous constituency projects, these interventions will be executed through the appropriate MDAs.”

“Lawmakers only recommend and provide oversight to ensure that projects meet the needs of their constituencies and are executed within budgetary timelines and standards,” she added.

“We urge the general public to disregard misinformation aimed at misleading citizens in a bid to pitch them against their representative for political reasons (IBON OSELU). She implores constituents across the nation to always seek verified updates from reliable official sources,” Ms Akande-Sadipe posited.