By Fatima Saka
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Salisu Mohammed Dahiru as Pioneer Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council on Climate Change.
According to a press release signed by Saghir el Mohammed, Director, Press Federal Ministry of Environment on Friday in Abuja, the appointment takes effect from 25th July, 2022.
As part of his Climate Change agenda, President Muhammadu Buhari made a commitment for Nigeria to achieve a net zero emission by 2060, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
In this regard, President Muhammadu Buhari expects the new Director General to drive implementation of the Nigeria’s Climate Change Agenda and the National Climate Change Action Plan, including the development of a carbon market framework and a National Adaptation Plan, which will be in sync with the aspirations enshrined in our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
The new Director General holds B.Sc. Botany, M.Sc. Cytogenetics & Plant Breeding and PhD in Environmental Resources Management. He has about thirty-seven years of cognate experience in environmental management, sustainable development, and academia, of which over fourteen years were in climate change policy, programs and projects at national and international levels. He pioneered and led Nigeria’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Programme.
He has been Nigeria’s lead negotiator for the Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Prior to his appointment, Dr. Salisu was the National Project Coordinator for the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) and the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) Project, both financed by the World Bank. He also served as the Federal Director of Forestry for eight years. He is a Fellow of the Forestry Association of Nigeria (FAN).
Dr. Salisu is an astute administrator, resource-manager, expert in climate change, complex project planning and management, resource mobilization and linkage with donor funding.
His vast experience in working with the World Bank and other Development Partners will positively enhance his effectiveness and efficiency in the smooth implementation of the National Climate Change Agenda.
