Nigeria and France on Tuesday in Abuja signed three agreements worth 475 million dollars on social amenities and reforestation.
The agreements cover Urban Mobility Improvement Programme of Lagos State, sustainable water supply in Kano city and reforestation in Ogun.
President Muhammadu Buhari and the visiting French President Emmanuel Macron witnessed the signing of the agreements during their bilateral talks held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Lagos agreement involved a letter of intent for the financing of urban mobility improvement project through a loan of 200 million dollars. The urban mobility project will involve development of eight priority bus corridors connected to the Lagos mass transit network.
In Ogun, a French firm in conjunction with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority is to mobilise from investors about 200 million dollars for land reclamation to correct the massive degradation of arable land being witnessed in the state.
Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, who spoke to State House correspondents on the signed agreement, said the project aims to reforest 108,000 hectares of depleting forest in Ogun.
Amosun, therefore, hailed the signing of the agreement, describing it as very vital to not only addressing climate change challenges and recreating the forest, but also providing employment to the people of the state, among other benefits.
France, through its foreign development agency, Agence Francaise de Development (AFD), will also extend a credit facility of 75 million dollars towards improving water supply in Kano city.
The concessional loan is expected to help Kano State Government ensure more residents of the city have access to drinking water while improving the financial viability of the state water board to increase its revenues.
Addressing newsmen after the signing of the agreements, Buhari and Macron, who addressed a joint press conference at the forecourt of the presidential villa, expressed the readiness of their countries to continue to promote socio-economic interests for the general good of both countries.
The two presidents pledged to increase the cooperation between Nigeria and France in tackling security challenges occasioned by Boko Haram and ISIS jihadists in Nigeria and the Sahel region of Africa.
Macron said he was more concerned about how African governments organised themselves to effectively tackle the challenges posed by terrorists on the continent.
He said: “The main plan is an African plan and France is not the one to solve or fix African situations. “So what we want to do is that we will intervene and maintain our presence in Africa and Sahel to fight against terrorism, especially in Mali and in the region.
“What is important to me is how the different African governments organise themselves to fight against terrorism and get rid of these people and especially, jihadism. That is why I do promote the G5/Sahel Initiatives.
“As far as we are organised, Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon is also very important, it is Boko Haram. I think first we have to increase the operations and the pressure against these jihadists.
“We can fix the situation in the coming months and obviously France will remain present in Africa for as long as they want it.’’
On his part, Buhari thanked French government for its support and assistance to Nigeria’s efforts in combating insurgency and violent extremism in the country and the Sahel region.
He said already Nigeria had cultivated the culture of friendship with all its neighbours with a view to ensuring security and political stability in the region.
By Agency Report
Nigeria, France signed agreements on the restoration of forests, urban mobility and water in the amount of 475 million US dollars.
I am an active ecologist, and in the case of inviting me to work, I will do the following: I will produce crystal clear drinking and irrigation water in the volumes ordered by France and Nigeria along the length of the Niger River.
In the event of an expansion of the work front, I will produce as much water as is required for all the countries of the Gulf of Guinea.
In this region, France can plant as many tree seedlings as it needs to fulfill its obligations under the Paris Agreement, and twice, and three times as much:
Destruction of carbon dioxide: “One hectare of planted forests permanently destroys annually up to 6.5 tons of carbon dioxide and releases 5 tons of oxygen.” 1,000 hectares will remove from the atmosphere 6,5 thousand tons of carbon dioxide, a million – 6.5 million, and so every year. Incremental forests are a ready-made natural technology for destroying carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and eliminating warming. Saplings grow and work constantly for many hundreds of years. Nature works. Without costs, except for watering.
Destruction of poisonous smog: “One hectare of green plantations absorbs 60 tons of dust and cleans 18 million cubic meters of air from harmful impurities.” This is the only technology in the world that destroys a poisonous smog forever. Nature has been working for hundreds of years. Without additional costs, except for watering.
Sincerely, developer of environmental programs, Victor Rodin. Ukraine. Khmelnitsky NPP. Tel. Kiev Star: 961336344. Mail: dorosydos@gmail.com.
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Нигерия, Франция подписали соглашения о восстановлении лесов, городской мобильности и воде в размере 475 млн. долларов США.
Я действующий эколог, и в случае приглашения меня на работу, выполню следующие работы: Произведу по всей длине реки Нигер кристально чистую питьевую и поливную воду в заказанных Францией и Нигерией объёмах.
В случае расширения фронта работ, произведу столько воды, сколько потребуется для всех стран Гвинейского залива.
В данном регионе Франция может посадить столько саженцев деревьев, сколько ей нужно для выполнения обязательств по Парижскому соглашению, и вдвое, и втрое больше:
Уничтожение углекислого газа: «Один гектар лесонасаждений навсегда уничтожает ежегодно до 6,5 тонн углекислого газа и выделяет 5 тонн кислорода». 1000 га уберут из атмосферы 6,5 тысяч тонн углекислоты, миллион – 6,5 шесть миллионов, и так каждый год. Приращенные леса – это готовая природная технология по уничтожению в атмосферы углекислого газа и устранения потепления. Саженцы растут и работают постоянно в течение многих сотен лет. Работает природа. Без затрат, кроме полива.
Уничтожение ядовитого смога: «Один гектар зеленых насаждений поглощает 60 тонн пыли и очищает от вредных примесей 18 миллионов кубометров воздуха». Это и есть единственная технология в мире, которая уничтожает ядовитый смог навсегда. Работает природа в течение многих сотен лет. Без дополнительных затрат, кроме полива.