Data from the Committee on the Coordination of Accounts of the Federation released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that the 36 states of Nigeria received $39.62.6 billion in green finance from June 2023 to June 2024. The Environmental Fund plays an important role in the Allocation.
The Nigerian government has a budget to deal with various environmental challenges across the country, including erosion, waste, floods, oil spills, and drought. This fund was created in 1360, and is taken from the government account at a rate of two percent, its main goal is to help all levels of government to solve environmental problems. The process of paying the fund is managed by the Office of the Ecology Fund and under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary of State. Last year, the Federal Government allocated N39.62 billion to the 36 states. This budget reflects the diversity of environmental challenges facing Nigeria and funds are allocated based on capacity.
Of these challenges, Kano State received the largest allocation at N2.1 billion, an average of N175 million per month. Borno state, which is dealing with the environmental damage caused by terrorism, received N1.68 billion (average N140 million per month), the second largest category. According to reports, heavy rains have rendered parts of the Kano-Maiduguri Railway impassable, causing traffic problems. Several states were affected by the rain.
The State Government has canceled the contract for phase 1 of the Kano-Maiduguri road project due to long delays. The move was announced by the Minister of Works, Senator David Omahi, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Uchenna Orji, on Saturday. The minister also ordered an early review of the road project. In a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, titled “Gulf States of Nigeria, Housing/NFI Sector Flood Situation Update, April – July 2024 (No. 1.0 ),”
severe weather conditions between April and July 2024, affected 124,275 people in 56 IDP sites in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe. There were 46 high winds, 66 floods, and 115 tornadoes and floods at the same time, affecting 26,493 houses.
“These incidents caused significant damage to the camp’s infrastructure including shelters, safe areas, and abundant water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities such as toilets and showers,” the report said.
According to the report, there is a 7 percent increase in weather-related accidents compared to the same period last year, which worsens the situation in these areas. In July, only 5 percent of the affected population received emergency aid or non-food items. The damage caused by the persistent rain has hampered humanitarian aid, which is struggling to meet the needs of more than a million displaced people in three countries. Borno state was the worst affected with 114,747 displaced, followed by Yobe with 9,419 and Adamawa with 309.
OCHA said the damage was extensive, indicating that 51 areas had been internally displaced and 134 host communities had been flooded. In total, 26,779 houses were damaged by floods and storm winds, and 24,463 houses were forced to take shelter. Other major recipients of the environmental fund are Lagos with N1.81 billion (an average of N150.83 per month), Kaduna with N1.4 billion, an average of N124.17 million per month), and Sokoto with N1.49 billion (N124.17 million monthly average).
However, the states with the lowest distribution are Kwara receiving N602.3 million (an average of N50.20 million per month), Bayelsa with N598.79 (an average of N49.90 million per month), and Ondo with N629.42 (an average of N52. ). 45 M per month). light). Edo received N632.8m (N52.73m monthly average) and Abia N633.68m (N52.81m monthly average).
Adamawa received N1.24 billion (an average of N103.33 million per month) to deal with problems such as erosion and floods. Anambra was allocated N1.35 billion (an average of N112.50 million per month).
Benue, which is affected by desertification and floods, received N758.97m (an average of N63.25m per month). Cross River received N680 million (average N56.67 million per month) funded for forestry and erosion control. Enugu received N1.36 billion (an average of N113.33 million per month) for its environmental interventions.
The experts emphasized the important role of the Environment Fund in financing environmental protection projects throughout the country. The ultimate goal is to ensure sustainable development and protect lives and property from natural disasters. The fund will also play an important role in facilitating the government’s efforts to reduce the impact of climate change, especially in vulnerable areas. Victor Aggi, an accountability lawyer at the Center for Financial Transparency and Accountability, expressed concern about the lack of transparency in the management of environmental finance.
“We don’t know how the funds will be spent,” Agee said.
He questioned the effectiveness of the fund in mitigating natural disasters such as floods that occur every year in Nigeria.
“If we keep flooding every year, what’s the point of the Ecology Fund?” he asked. Agi suggested that the Federal Government should consider taking direct control of the ecological fund, currently managed by state governors, to ensure accountability and effective utilization.
On his part, an environmental economist, Tobi Awolope, of the Centre for Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Ogun State, said a lack of effective intervention and misdirection of resources had characterized the fund. The government has been intervening, but the right people and target population are not being adequately reached.
“This is why the situation in the country has not improved,” said Awolope. Awolope stressed the importance of impact assessments to assess the effectiveness of the use of ecological funds.
“The problem is that the interventions do not reach the target population”, he added.
For effective management of ecological funds, Awolope recommended setting clear objectives to ensure that the interventions reach the beneficiaries. “The allocation and use of these funds should be closely monitored to ensure that they achieve the expected objectives of ecological restoration and disaster prevention”, he added.
