A 2-day Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop on Environmental Standards Certification Scheme Framework under the Sustainable Procurement Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project has commenced at the Rahamon Bello Auditorium, University of Lagos (UNILAG).
The event which commenced on Monday, November 25, 2024, under the theme: Raising the Standards of Environmental Practice, was a gatheringof renowned resource persons and technocrats under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Environment with support from the World Bank.
The workshop featured breakout sessions on thematic areas of the Environmental Standards Certification Framework (such as Certification levels, modules and criteria). It served as an avenue for stakeholders to lend their voices as well as expertise towards achieving the full certification of environmental standards under the SPESSE Project.
Speaking at the workshop, Senior Environmental Engineer at the World Bank, Dr. Ruxandra Maria Floroiu represented by Dr. Ahmad Chinade Abdullahi described the workshop as a bold step towards actualizing the much needed institutionalization and professionalization of environmental standards under the SPESSE Project.
He appreciated stakeholders especially resource persons and technocrats across all implementation agencies who converged for the workshop, and charged them to brainstorm and forge a common front towards achieving a solid framework for environmental standards under SPESSE.
Similarly, the National Project Co-ordinator for SPESSE at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Dr. Joshua Atah, described the SPESSE Project as Nigeria’s first attempt at institutionalizing sustainable capacity building in the fields of Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards by offering professionalized and academic programmes in a customized, fit for purpose and sustainable manner.
Dr. Atah who was represented by the Deputy Director, Project Manager Office, SPESSE Project Implementing Unit, Mr. Peter Tobrise said the Environmental Standards Certification Scheme Framework will facilitate the development of Professional Competency Questions (PCQs) and validate Environmental Policy, Environmental Management System, Compliance and Regulatory as well as Standards and Stakeholder Engagement thereby giving SPESSE the foothold it deserves as a profession and a tool for national development.
In her presentation, the SPESSE Project Co-ordinator (Environmental Node), Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Rofikat Adebukola-Ode, took the gathering through Environmental Standards Certification Scheme Framework.
She gave a breakdown of proposed programme stages, criteria for entry, learning modules, modes of examination, certification stages, proposed continuous development logs among other key areas.
The Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria which aims to bridge the gap of insufficient professionals in the procurement, environmental and social sectors as well as the lack of academic programmes and curriculum in these sectors in the Nigerian education system.
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is home to one of the six (6) Centres of Excellence (CoE) in SPESSE which has the mandate of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to develop manpower/professionals, develop curriculum and run full-fledged Advanced Diploma and Postgraduate courses as well as undergraduate courses in Procurement, Environmental Standards and Social Standards.
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photography: Samuel Dosumu
