*Names Ngelale As Climate Change Envoy
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp), headed by Dr. Lazarus Angbazo, as the Lead Arranger and Developer of Evergreen City, Nigeria’s green industrial zone.
The President Tinubu said the development was in line with his commitment to ensure industrial development that meets the demands of the present and the future, explaining that InfraCorp would be involved in the selection of partners/consultants to undertake critical development activities, including project design, environmental impact assessments, feasibility studies, financial modelling and market engagement.
The Lead Arranger is also responsible for raising private funding for the development of the city and constituent projects, as well as coordinating, with partners, development institutions and other capital and technical assistance providers.
InfraCorp is to report to the Supervisory Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, the supervisory technical working group charged with overseeing the pioneering initiative, made up of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action as Chairman, Lolade Abiola (UN SE4ALL) as Secretary and 14 other members.
The members are Angbazo; Salisu Dahiru (CEO, NCCC); Aminu Umar-Sadiq (CEO, NSIA); Khalil Halilu (CEO, NASENI); Abba Abubabkar Aliyu (CEO, REA); Fatima Shinkafi (CEO, SMDF); Uzoma Nwagba (CEO, CrediCorp); Bala Bello (Deputy Governor, CBN); Teni Majekodunmi (NCCC); Nana Maidugu (NSIA); Michael Ivenso (NCCC); Suleiman Yusuf (Blue Camel Energy) and Chidi Ajaere (Jet EV).
The President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, charged the committee to bring in “absolute dedication and professionalism to drive this critical project, with the clear objective of making Nigeria the leading manufacturing hub in Africa for renewable energy technologies, green solutions and climate-adaptation technologies for the maximum benefit of Nigerians and Africans at large.”
Meanwhile, Tinubu has also established the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, which he is to chair, with Minister of the Environment, Balarabe Abbas, Vice Chairman.
A statement on Sunday, May 19, by the Director of Information in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said the President also appointed Ngelale as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action.
The committee is expected to “coordinate and oversee all policies and programmes on climate action and green economic development,” as well as “identify, develop and implement innovative non-oil and non-gas climate action initiatives.”
It is to coordinate the activities of relevant federal government institutions towards the “attainment of all agreed climate action and green economic objectives and non-oil/non-gas ambitions.”
