Ministry partners JICA, JAAN to address environmental challenges

Partnership

By Vivian Emoni

Abuja, March 7, 2020 (NAN)The Ministry of Environment  says it is collaborating with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Alumni Association of Nigeria (JAAN) to address environmental challenges across the country.

The Minister of State, Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, said this at JICA and JAAN`s Annual Anniversary celebration with the theme: “The Future We Desire, Environmental Perspective,” in Abuja.

Ikeazor, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Bakari Wadinga, said that the collaboration would help to tackle environmental pollution, mitigate effects of climate change and other environmental issues.

She said that the Japanese government had been supporting the government in various projects and relevant activities in the country.

The minister added that recently Japanese government funded 10 months study on available sustainable alternative materials to plastics and innovative packaging and recycling technologies.

Ikeazor said that JICA was an agency saddled with responsibility of assisting economic and social growth in developing countries and to promote international cooperation.

“JICA is part of Japan`s official development assistance programs for capacity development in a wide range of fields, including medical, industrial and agriculture.

“A lot of Nigerian government officials who are still in service have benefited from traveling to Japan on various long and short term training under these technical assistance programmes.

“The beneficiaries of the programmes formed the JAAN and the association is a non-profit organisation,’’ she said.

She said that the association had involved in wide ranging activities, including collaborating in the activities of the Japanese embassy, JICA and community services.

Ikeazor said that the ministry was committed to ensure effective partnership with the JICA and JAAN to enhance protection of environment in various areas.

President of JAAN, Mr Ahmed Agberankhe, said that the association had organised various training on modern techniques on cultivation and post-harvested processing of cow-peas for farmers in Gwagwalada Area Council in the FCT.

Agberankhe said that the association had also organised a workshop on initiation of breast feeding for Community Health Workers across the six area councils in the FCT.

According to him, the association, through its agricultural committee has concluded arrangement to establish a farm which will be managed by its members using the knowledge acquired from their training in Japan.

“This farm will equally serve as a training centre for our agricultural programmes.

“Also, our members in the environment, water sanitation committee are already working on design of model projects aimed at converting waste to wealth and waste to energy using the Japanese technologies.

“This is a clear response to the charge of the state minister when we paid her a courtesy visit recently in her office.

“All these are aimed at improving the economic and social standard of Nigerians and thereby reducing the poverty level and promoting peace in the country,’’ he said.

Agberankhe, however, advised the Japanese authority and its businessmen to revisit their strategies in doing business with Nigerians to have fair share of the market.

He also urged the relevant agencies as well as the JICA to cooperate to enable establish Japanese cultural centre in Abuja, adding that the effort would help to promote the both countries culture.

Ms Mankiko Okumura, Chief Representative, JICA, said that the agency`s aim was to support the resolution of issues by using the most suitable assistance method.

The method include, technical assistant, grant aid and Official Development Assistance, (ODA) loans.

She said that JICA had implemented various projects in different sectors such as, power, health, agriculture, water, environment, private development sectors among others.

She said that JICA would continue to support the government to ensure that projects and other activities were implemented.

She, however, thanked the ministry and JAAN for making the anniversary a reality. (NAN)

VOE/IAA

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola