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World Environment Day: Oceans Will Have More Plastic Than Fish by 2050 – UN Sec Gen

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8 years ago

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that there would be more plastic than fish by 2050 if the present trends continue.

Guterres, who stated this in his message for World Environment Day, marked on June 5, said the world was being ‘swamped’ by harmful plastic waste.

The Secretary-General is participating in the #BeatPlasticPollution challenge, in which users pledged to replace single-use plastics with reusable alternatives.

On Twitter, Guterres pledged to abolish the use of plastic bottles in his office, and he did that starting on Monday, removing all plastic bottles from his office, conference rooms and Department for Public Information.

He said: “‘#BeatPlasticPollution’ is the motto of this year’s World Environment Day. Here in my office, we are abolishing the use of single use plastic bottles for water”.

The UN chief said the world must unite to “beat plastic pollution” now, noting that microplastic particles in the ocean, “now outnumber stars in our galaxy”.

“We all have a role to play in protecting our only home. Our world is swamped by harmful plastic waste.

“Every year, more than eight million tonnes end up in the oceans. If present trends continue, by 2050 our oceans will have more plastic than fish,” he said.

Guterres said a healthy planet was essential for a prosperous and peaceful future, pointing out the astonishing comparison between stars in the cosmos and ocean plastics.

The secretary-general underscored that “from remote islands, to the Artic, nowhere is untouched”.

On World Environment Day, Guterres is encouraging everyone to also stop using plastic products which are designed just to be thrown away, such as plastic bottles.

“Refuse what you can’t re-use. Together, we can chart a path to a cleaner, greener world,” the Secretary-General asserted.

Since it was first celebrated in 1974, the Day has helped raise awareness and generate political momentum around global environmental concerns such as ozone depletion, desertification and global warming.

In conjunction with the Day, UN Environment (UNEP), on Monday, launched the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), also known as the Renewables 2018 Global Status Report.

The report painted a positive picture of a renewable power sector characterised by falling costs, increased investment, record-setting installation and innovative business models that are driving rapid change.

(NAN)

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Mike Adenuga, Emmanuel Macron Hold High-Powered Meeting in Paris

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6 hours ago

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December 18, 2025

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Accomplished billionaire businessman and Commander of the French Légion d’Honneur, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., GCON, CdrLH, has held a private meeting with the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

The two powerful citizens of the world held the meeting on Wednesday at the historic Élysée Palace in Paris.

The high-level engagement underscores the longstanding relationship between Dr. Adenuga and the French Republic, as well as his continued relevance in global business and diplomatic circles. 

A respected industrialist and philanthropist, Adenuga has been widely acknowledged for his contributions to economic development, telecommunications, energy, and humanitarian causes across Africa and beyond.

The meeting adds to Dr. Adenuga’s growing profile as a bridge between African enterprise and international leadership.

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Free at Last: Burkina Faso Releases 11 Nigerian Soldiers, Aircraft

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6 hours ago

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December 18, 2025

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Burkina Faso has released Nigerian soldiers who were detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in the Sahelian country earlier this month, Nigerian officials said.

The release followed a diplomatic intervention by President Bola Tinubu, who dispatched a high-level delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to meet Burkina Faso’s Military Leader, Ibrahim Traoré, on Wednesday.

In a statement, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s spokesperson, said both sides resolved the matter amicably and secured the release of the Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew.

The soldiers had been held for nearly two weeks after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the aircraft’s landing as an “unfriendly act” carried out in defiance of international law.

The Nigerian Air Force, however, said the crew encountered a technical issue that required a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest available airfield. It said the landing complied with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.

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Corruption Allegations: NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed Meets Tinubu, Resigns

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19 hours ago

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December 17, 2025

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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has resigned following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu amid corruption allegations.

Tinubu, on Wednesday, summoned Ahmed to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, following allegations of economic sabotage and corruption.

Also caught in the web of resignation was the CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, according to a statement on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy.

Tinubu was said to have nominated successors to the senate for approval.

“Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” the statement reads.

“The requests followed the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC.

“Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.”

Onanuga said the two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.

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