By Faridat Salifu
The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako has outlined a seven-point plan focused on actionable steps to promote sustainable resource development in Africa.
The minister revealed the points on Tuesday during the Ministerial Roundtable Africa’s Natural Resources, held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The plan, put forth during the meeting aims is to propel Africa towards economic growth and development by leveraging its abundant natural resources effectively.
resource management and the importance.
In his goodwill message, Dr. Salako emphasized the critical responsibility of managing Africa’s resources to foster economic growth and uplift communities.
He highlighted the vast potential of the continent’s natural wealth, including minerals, forests, water bodies, and fertile lands, to transform economies.
His words: “Africa, and particularly Nigeria, is endowed with an abundance of natural resources. These resources hold the potential to transform our economies, uplift our communities, and set us on a path towards sustainable development.”
Dr. Salako stressed that realizing this potential requires concerted efforts, innovative strategies, and unwavering commitment from all sectors of society.
His seven-point plan made public includes
Developing Detailed Action Plans through establishing specific milestones and timelines to monitor progress effectively.
The other plan us establishing Monitoring and Evaluation Framework; Inclusive Decision-Making, allocate Adequate; Initiate Pilot Project; Leverage International Partnerships; and to Raise Awareness.
The minister emphasized the importance of responsible management and utilization of natural resources to ensure that the wealth generated benefits all, particularly marginalized communities and youth.
He also underscored the necessity of promoting environmental sustainability to secure the blessings of natural wealth for present and future generation .
“By aligning our efforts, we can break the cycle of debt and aid dependency, fuel economic growth, and achieve energy transitions that usher in a greener, more resilient Africa,” he said.
He reminded the audience of Africa’s untapped wealth and the need for collaborative ingenuity to harness it effectively saying “Our biodiversity, minerals, and other natural resources in Africa are worth quintillions of dollars.
“ Our continent is not poor; we only need to be ingenious, collaboratively work together, and promote our comparative advantages.”