..Eseduwo clarifies misconception on sludge fund
By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Director, Overseeing the Office of Permanent Secretary Ecological Project Office (EPO), Dr. Famous Eseduwo has stated that the Ecological Project Office (EPO) is ready to collaborate with stakeholders who are willing to partner with the Office on environmental and ecological challenges facing the country.
Eseduwo, made this known during the familiarization visit of the Geological Unit of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the EP Office on Thursday.
He reiterated that the Office as a special intervention office on ecological challenges does not have budgetary allocation but operates with the Federal Government’s 1% share alongside four other related agencies which include: NEMA, Great Green Wall, North East Development Commission and the Nigeria Agriculture and Land Development Agency (NALDA).
He urged the team from NEMA to assist in educating the public on EPO mandate, stating that there is no sludge fund in the Office as it is often misconstrued by some Nigerians.
The Director, Pollution Control EPO, Mr. Clinton Igwe, observed that the Federal Ministry of Environment charged with policy formulation on environment could be best positioned to play the coordination role in bringing all relevant agencies together to produce the National Policy on the flooding, erosion, earthquakes and earth tremors.
He added that it would fast track NEMA’s current drive for an enduring solution to the environmental challenges in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Director-General of NEMA, the Deputy Director, Research and Forecasting, Mr. Abdullahi Adamu Usur, thanked the Director, Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, EPO for obliging the request, stating that the visit is aimed at seeking ways of strengthening ties, learn and identify areas of collaboration with EPO.
Usur, also attested to the enormous interventions by EPO on ecological projects office and for its collaborative efforts with sister agencies.
The Principal Planning Office and the technical officer of the Geological unit of NEMA, Mr. Awwal Sadiq, stressed on the need to have a united front with relevant agencies in order to build an enduring solution on the myriad of Environment and Ecological challenges in the country which is also a global threat.
LSigned: Obegolu Amala for: DD (Press&PR).