Lagos State Government on Wednesday took the advocacy on impacts of climate change to the young ones in the state, with a clarion call for urgent and drastic actions in mitigating the overbearing effects on the environment.
Speaking at a seminar organized at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference Centre at Alausa, the State Commissioner for the ENvironment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello said the programme is meant to catch them young and sensitise the young ones towards environmental sustainability and it becoming a way of life.
He emphasized that as a pro-active Government, the State Government has
resolutely implemented its resolutions in the areas of intensive Advocacy,
Annual Massive Tree Planting Exercises, and construction of effective Drainage
Channels to curtail flood, improved waste management complemented with
recycling programmes, and exploration of Renewable Energy Sources amongst
others.
The Commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the
Environment, Mrs. Ibironke Belinda added: “The impact of
climate change could result in problems with food security and may threaten
livelihood activities upon which much of the population depends. In other words
reduction in food production would affect wellbeing and
productivity”
Analysing the concept of climate change, Bello said the mounting pressure on
natural resources, dwindling wild life, rising world population and various
forms of pollution calls for immediate change towards the environment and Water
Resources, adding it as result of that, that the Ministry of the Environment
and Water Resources created the Environmental Education Department with
the responsibility of dealing with all environmental infraction issues and
sustainability.
The Guest Lecturer, a renowned Environmentalist, Mr. Ayo Tella, took
the students through lectures on the concept, impacts and preventive measure to
ensure a safe planet.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Segun
Samuel said the Climate Change Sensitization became necessary so as to educate
the younger ones from tender age about the importance of greening in the
society and why they must make it a way of life.
He added that the Lagos State Government is determined to take the
Sensitization to various schools across the state in order to continually get
the supports of the future generations towards Environmental sustainability.
One of the participants, Miss Blessings Saheed from Omole Senior Secondary
School, said the programme was educative and promised to desist from
various activities that destroy the ozone layer.
She added that she would go back to educate her colleagues, neighbours and
family members to stop cooking with fire woods, to stop bush burning, to stop
waste burning in order to safe the environment from been destroyed further.
The seminar has in attendance students and teachers from the State’s Six
Education Districts and selected private schools with the pupils getting a
reassurance of the
re-emergence of the Climate Change Clubs in schools and members will be the
Environmental Ambassadors of the State.