The Minister of Environment, Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia has called on the Government of Japan for assistance in the areas of renewable energy, capacity building and proper procedures that would help the country get proper environmental assessment of projects, pre-and post-project execution.
She made the appeal in Abuja when she received in audience, Ambassador Ryuichi Shoji, Ambassador extra-ordinary and plenipotentiary of Japan to Nigeria.? She noted that environmental issues were very topical now as the world looked forward to RIO+20, which main theme was sustainable development.
She stated that Nigeria expected much more participation of Japan in the area of renewable energy, adding that “Our major challenge in the country has been power, constant supply of light, whether this is from Solar or hydro-power, just give us power, light.? I think that you have a role to play.”
Mailafia stated that issues that bordered on climate change needed to be addressed so that a few years from now, the country could earn huge carbon credits from what is on the ground.
Earlier, Ambassador Ryuichi Shoji noted that the minister’s portfolio imposed very heavy and sometimes very difficult responsibilities. He stated that environmental issues, including climate Change issues were cross-border challenges affecting every country and every person in the world, including his own country of Japan, which had recently experienced serious signs of the effects of climate change.
He stated that Japan was now moving towards green energy and green technology as the keys to the country’s future, and was ready to partner with Nigeria in various areas of environmental and climate change issues.?
He disclosed that the Japanese Government recently donated solar panels to the Yar’adua University in Katsina State, and cited it as an example of how the two countries could collaborate in the future.