From Lagos
Residents of Lagos state have been urged to maintain a cleaner environment for positive human habitation.
Mr Alex Akhigbe, CEO, African Clean Up Initiative(ACI), gave the advice in Lagos while markimg the 2020 World Clean Up Day at Ojuelegba, a suburb of Lagos.
Akhigbe said that ACI Nigeria joined 180 countries across the globe to mobilise volunteers on clean up activities across the metropolis in commomeration of the Day and to stress the imperative of cleaning environment.
He said that a positive action toward the environment was required by everyone to make the world a better place to live.
” Let us not wait for the government before we have a positive impact on the environment.
” We should do all we can to make where we live and do business a better place.
In her speech, Mrs Belinda Aderonke Odeneye, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources called on Nigerian youths to channel their energy in creating a cleaner environment.
Re-presented by Mrs Oguntola Toyin, Odeneye urged youths to join environmental and climate change clubs in their various schools to enable participate in activities that would ensure better environment for meaningful human activities to thrive.
” Group of people can be motivated to clean up dirty soroundings like the African Clean Up Initiative group,” Odeneye said.
She urged all segments of the society, including schools, military formations and religious institutions and market leaders amon others, to support the laudable initiative of cleaning up Lagos.
She noted that government could only perform excellently with the assistance of law abiding citizens in ensuring that the environment was adequately cared for.
According to her, the emerging growth of the population in Lagos has brought big challenge in the management of waste.
She cautioned against the indiscriminate dumping of waste in the city and urged Lagos residents to partner with the state government in bringing about a cleaner Lagos.
The Permanent Secretary said that 50 per cent of the waste generated in the state could be recycled to generate income as was the practice in most developed economies.
”The Lagos State government ultimate goal is to attain conversion, turning waste into resources,” she said.
