World Environment Day: STAKEHOLDERS CALL FOR PRESERVATION OF ECOSYSTEM.

AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark World Environment Day, stakeholders in the Environment sector of the country have advocated for the preservation  of the ecosystem.

 

Minister of Environment Muhammed Abdullahi who spoke during the  Sensitisation Campaign Walk and Clean Up Exercise to mark this year’s activities to commemorate World Environment Day, in collaboration with European Union, in Abuja at the weekend, said the government would continue to put policies in place to ensure a clean sustainable environment.

 

He noted that “a devastated environment can lead to the deaths of human beings, we saw what happen during the Covid-19, my appeal to the citizens is have a clean environment  and ensure we keep our surroundings  clean. We are kick-starting this day with a visit to Jabi lake. Our visit to Jabi Lake was to ensure that all trashcan thrown into the lake are retrieved, harnessed and put into use, which  can be recycle for viable economic ventures for people,”.

 

The minister maintained that clean environment is vital to the survival of any nation, stating that the country would do what is humanly possible to preserve its environment.

 

Speaking, the Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria Ms. Samuela Isopi said the  campaign aimed at cleaning part of the Jabi lake, to helped the fishermen exploit the lake for their subsistence.

 

“It is my pleasure to be part and contribute to this initiative with the Federal ministry of environment and colleagues from the French embassy. As you may know, the world environment day will be celebrated all over the world, yet we decided to start earlier with this symbolic walk towards one of the most popular places during the weekend in Abuja,” Isopi stated.

 

Isopi stated that continued effort  is needed to ensure that the Nigeria Ecosystem is  preserved.

 

“Today campaign is symbolic, yet important, plastic waste is a major threat to our daily life if not properly managed. For instance, I know that  fishermen are exploiting the lake for their subsistence, we can therefore support them by watching our habits,” Isopi noted.

 

She commended the minister for ensuring that the environment  is protected for both human and Ecosystem.

 

The Deputy Ambassador, French Embassy, Mr. Oliver Chatelars also noted that the European commission would work with Nigeria government to ensure a healthy environment for all.

 

“In 2015 French made a treaty on environment and if the requisition of the treaty are not followed plastic waste will multiply, all the countries are victims of plastic waste especially the Africa countries.” Mr. Oliver explained.

 

Representative of Oxfam in Nigeria, Mr. Kenneth Akpan  said the organisation have been engaged in advocacy and sensitisation campaign  in Nigeria to  help the citizens know more about their environment.

 

“We are privileged to partner with Ministry of environment. Considering the menace of Climate Change, our approach is advocacy and  sensitization which we believe, if  people know much of what they need to do concerning their environment  everybody will take responsibility and not leave it for the government,” he said.

He however appealed for more Climate funding for Africa countries.

“Oxfam is very interested in the Climate crisis, that is why the Oragnisation is pushing for more Climate financing, which  we believed is the solution  and challenge  we have here in Africa, especially in the southern Africa,” he added.

meanwhile, the Minister of State for the Environment, Sharon Ikeazor has reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government towards promoting and boosting environmental conservation in the country.

 

This is in a bid to guarantee the sustainability of Nigeria’s biodiversity and exotic ecosystem for livelihoods of teeming citizens.

 

The minister stated this when she received Dr. Adewale Adeleke, ECOWAS Advisor who led a delegation of the West Africa Biodiversity and Low Emission Development Project  (WABILED) on a working visit to her office in Abuja at the weekend.

 

According to the Minister, “the sustenance of the nation’s biodiversity is a core priority of the federal government”.

 

She added: “The fact is, we have not really paid attention to the issue of conservation in the past. But now, it is an area of focus for us. Our life and livelihood depend on the ecosystem. Hence, we must put a deliberate effort towards boosting biodiversity conservation”.

 

Ikeazor explained that working with other Ministers of Environment in Africa, Nigeria will ensure that Africa makes a statement among the committee of nations in the forthcoming COP27 slated for Egypt later in the year.

 

She assured that her Ministry “will support every effort at conservation and wildlife protection as we look forward to COP27, making sure that Africa present a strong voice as we continue to work with other Ministers of Environment from Africa”.

 

Ikeazor appealed for the support of WABILED in the implementation of Nigeria’s Wildlife Strategy Plan, as well as the signing of the Trans-Boundary Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Cameroun, which she described as key to the nation’s  conservation efforts.

 

Earlier in his remarks, Adeleke noted that the mission of their WABILED delegation to the Ministry was to appreciate the Federal Government’s role in the conservation and sustainable management of the country’s natural resources.

 

He solicited Nigeria’s support for the final endorsement of the ‘West Africa Strategy for Combating Wildlife Crime’ by the ECOWAS Ministerial Council and Heads of State Summit.