By Our Reporter
The Minister of the Environment, Balarabe Lawal, has inaugurated the Working Group on Environment Standards for the Sustainable Procurement and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE), World Bank support project.
While inaugurating the Working Group midweek at Abuja, the minster explained that the project was a collaboration of the World Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Environment, Finance, Budget and National Planning.
According to the minister, SPESSE is aimed at enhancing human capacity in sustainable procurement, environmental, and social standards in both the public and private sectors, noting that it would create more sustainable future for all.
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He further explained that the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental, and Social Standards Enhancement Programme seeks to address a critical gap in the nation’s capacity, including the inadequate supply of qualified professionals in procurement, environmental management, and social standards.
His words: ”We have recognised a need for stronger pool of professionals in procurement, environmental management, and social standards. The project will play a pivotal role in filling this void, equip our workforce with the expertise needed to drive sustainable practices across various sectors.
”By establishing this working group, we are taking a proactive step towards bridging the gap and building sustainable capacity in these sectors. This is essential not only for the success of the project but lso for the long-term sustainability and resilience of our economy and society.
”By uniting the experts and harnessing their collective expertise, the Working Group on Environment Standards (WGES) will play a crucial role in supporting the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in developing a nationally and globally respected certification scheme.
”This scheme will not only raised the bar for environmental standards in our country but will also position us as a leader in sustainable development on the international stage.”
