The Federal Government has unveiled the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations 2024 to prevent and minimise pollution and waste emanating from batteries in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the regulations seek to ensure environmentally sound management of used batteries in the country.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, stated this at the unveiling of the document on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that the regulations also sought to address the challenges of waste battery management in Nigeria.

Lawal said it was in line with the provisions and recommendations of the Basel and Bamako Conventions, and other related guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of hazardous waste.

The minister was represented by Mr Usman Bokani, Director, Pollution and Public Health, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

He said that batteries, particularly those used in renewable energy, telecommunication and automotive sectors, were critical to Nigeria’s economic development.

Lawal said that batteries contained hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and lithium amongst others.

He said batteries when improperly disposed of, could lead to severe health conditions including cancer, kidney damage and neurological disorders.

NiMet forecasts 3-day sunshine, haziness from Monday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Monday to Wednesday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja forecasts sunny and hazy conditions on Monday over parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Kano and Katsina states throughout the forecast period with chances of morning thunderstorms over parts of Taraba state.

“However, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kaduna, Bauchi, Zamfara, Kebbi and Taraba states.

“Cloud patches with sunshine intervals are expected over the North Central region with chances of localised thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Benue and Kogi states during the morning hours.

“In the afternoon/evening period, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Niger states,” it said.

The agency envisaged cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine over the Inland states of the South and the Coast.

It anticipated chances of localised thunderstorms over parts of Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states during the morning hours.

NiMet predicted localised thunderstorms over parts of Imo, Abia, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Rivers, Edo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states later in the day.

According to him, sunny skies with few patches of cloud are anticipated over the northern region during the morning hours on Tuesday.

“Later in the day, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara and Kebbi states. The North Central region is expected to be cloudy with sunshine intervals.

“Also, with chances of localised thunderstorms over parts of Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory during the morning hours,” it said.

NiMet predicted localised thunderstorms over parts of Kogi, Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Kwara, Benue and Nasarawa states later in the day.

It anticipated cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine over the Inland of the South and the Coast with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states in the morning hours.

It forecast localised thunderstorms over parts of Imo, Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Lagos

states.

The agency envisaged a sunny atmosphere with patches of cloud over the northern region during the morning hours on Wednesday.

“Later in the day, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Taraba and Kaduna states. Cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are expected over the North Central region during the morning hours.

“In the afternoon/evening period, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Plateau and Niger states. A cloudy atmosphere is expected over the southern region during the morning hours.

“Later in the day, thunderstorms are expected over the entire region,” it said.

NiMet urged the public to take adequate precautions as strong winds might precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms were likely to occur.

The agency advised the Airline operators to get updated weather reports and forecasts from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

(NAN)

King Charles Urges Urgent Climate Action at COP28 Conference

King Charles III issued a passionate call for swift and resolute action to safeguard the planet during his address at the COP28 climate conference on Friday.

The British monarch, speaking from Dubai, emphasized the pivotal role of heads of state and government in addressing the global climate crisis and expressed his hope for COP28 to mark a critical turning point towards genuine transformational action.

“The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth,’’ underscored King Charles on the second day of the event, scheduled to run until December 12. He cautioned against indifference to ecological damage, noting that “records are now being broken so often that we are perhaps becoming immune to what they are really telling us,” referencing data from researchers on increasing temperatures.

“We are carrying out a vast, frightening experiment of changing every ecological condition, all at once, at a pace that far outstrips nature’s ability to cope,’’ he warned.

Acknowledging some progress in climate initiatives, the 75-year-old king expressed concern about losing our way in addressing climate change. He observed, “Some important progress has been made, but it worries me greatly that we have lost our way so terribly.’’

Highlighting the alarming increase in CO2 and methane levels in the atmosphere, King Charles III stressed the potentially devastating consequences for livelihoods worldwide.

The monarch, a longtime advocate for the environment and nature, had previously inaugurated the COP21 in Paris in 2015 while still the heir to the throne. However, in his current role as king, he is bound by strict political neutrality, limiting the pointedness with which he can express his views.

The king’s address comes against the backdrop of recent controversial plans announced by Britain’s Conservative government to significantly expand oil and gas production in the North Sea, a development that King Charles III had to announce a few weeks ago.