It was more like
a family gathering as Nature Hedge, publishers of Environment Africa Magazine,
feted guests to a small dinner at the 2022 Sustainability, Environment and
Advocacy Awards, held at the BWC Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Among the
recipients was the Honorable Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu
who was honoured with the SEA Award for Public Service Delivery in the Water
Sector.
According to the organizers of the event, Engr Adamu had, since his appointment as Minister of Water Resources overseen a transformation of the water sector in Nigeria; revitalising the almost moribund river basin development authorities to be more effective and strategically important to their catchment operational communities, even instituting the Songhai model into their operational processes. He has also ensured continuity in project delivery having focused almost 90 percent of his ministry’s works on projects initiated by the past administration, thereby reducing the spate of abandoned projects and also projecting a fresh consciousness as government beyond administrations.
Represented at the Awards Dinner by Otunba Olufemi Odumosu, Chief Executive of the Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), the Minister in a speech lamented the fact that issues around water and sanitation (SDG 6), have unfortunately been overlooked component of the general global climate change movement. This, he said necessitated the state of emergency declared in 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari which led to the signing of Executive Order 009 for the Clean Nigeria Campaign in 2019.
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L-R: Recipient of Nigeria TOP100 Environmental Professionals, Engr Sesan Odukoya, Compere and Managing Consultant, Twofourseven Communications Ltd, Stephen Ipalibo Lawson, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Prof Akin Abayomi, MD, Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) representing the Minister of Water Resources, Editor, Environment Africa Magazine, Sam Nwosu, Keynote Speaker, Recipient of TOP100 and Chairman, Jawura Environmental Services Ltd, Prof Oladele Osibanjo and Princess Margaret Inam, representing Dr Ayodele Otaiku of Huetz Research |
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L-R: MD, Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), presenting S.E.A Award for Sustainable Public Service in Health Sector to Prof. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner of Health, Lagos State with Convener, S.E.A Awards, Sam Nwosu standing by. |
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L-R: MD, Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), Otunba Olufemi Odumosu receiving the S.E.A Award for Sustainable PublIc Service in Water Sector on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, from Convener, Sam Nwosu, Editor, Environment Africa Magazine |
The Honourable
Minister, who was also unveiled as one of Nigeria’s TOP 100 Environmental
Professionals, identified funding gaps as the major challenge towards ensuring the attainment of the SDG Goal of Water for All; and while appreciative of the
efforts undertaken so far, seek the support of both large and smaller scale
private sector investors to join hands to leverage on a yawning opportunity to
build capacity and create jobs in an untapped market opportunity.
The sentiments of
the Honourable Minister were echoed by the Commissioner for Health, Lagos State,
Prof Akin Abayomi, who was honoured with the SEA AWARD for Sustainable Public
Service in the Health Sector. Professor Abayomi, who has won multiple awards
over his unflinching dedication to ensuring strategic and better health
outcomes and his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic as Lagos State Deputy
Incident Commander.
Prof. Akin
Abayomi appreciated the organizers of S.E.A Awards for the honour bestowed on
him but said the award was not just for him but for all those who worked with
him; while also appreciating the Lagos State Governor who gave him the
opportunity of leading from the front.
Prof. Abayomi
remarked on the necessity of developing BioSecurity and OneHealth as key
development strategies and mentioned that OneHealth is positioned to be the
most important factor in Human and Environmental Sustainability interventions.
Other recipients
of the S.E.A Awards included Prof. Samson Duna, Director General of the
Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) for Sustainable
Construction Innovation while the Nigerian Conservation Foundation was bestowed
with the Pioneer Award for Environmental Advocacy.
The Dinner
culminated in the unveiling and certificate giving to the TOP100 Environmental
Professional, headlined by Prof. Oladele Osibanjo, Chief Executive of Jawura
Environmental Services Ltd and Immediate Past President of the Wastes
Management Society of Nigeria. Others present who received certificates were,
Naomi Nwokolo, Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, Dr
Nicholas Igwe, National Coordinator of the Organized Private Sector on Water,
Sanitation and Hygiene (OPS-WASH), Dr Leslie Adogame, Executive Director of the
Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria),
Dr Eugene Itua, Chief Executive Officer of Natural Eco- Capital and Titi Akosa,
Executive Director of Center for 21st Century Issues, Femi Oye
of Carbon Credit Network and Thomas Emmanuel, of Dreamscape Resources.
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