By Fatima Saka and Bisola Adeyemo
The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment has tasked citizens to be friendly to the environment as they joined stakeholders and others in cleaning the Jabi Lake.
This exercise took place on Saturday in Abuja ahead of the World Environment Day, June 5.
The Permanent Secretary, federal Ministry Of Environment Engr. Hassan Musa, represented by Mr. Jonah Stanley, Director of planning research and statistics federal ministry of environment said, World Environment Day which was established in 1974 when the United Nations environment programs underpinned the urgent needs to ensure a friendly world based on the environment which involved member’s countries including Nigeria.
“This day is to sensitize, educate and create awareness among the citizens to key into the environment generally with the views to ensure those challenges that are associating with environment and laws within the status quo which consigns the pollution issues on the seas and on the lands.
“From the subject based on the theme for 2022 “OnlyOneEarth” aside from this earth we don’t have any other earth and citizens are to ensure that those challenges that are tight with the environment , especially Nigeria needs to be address”. Stanley said.
He therefore appealed to every Nigerian to ensure that we have a clean environment, to keep our surroundings clean, like unprotected species and again to ensure that policies are adhered to and put in place so that we clean the environment for sustainability.
He however, added that, the ministry also lay emphases on recycling all kinds of plastic waste which can be transformed into economic sustainability, the essence of which the visit to Jabi Lake is to ensure that those plastic cans that are thrown into the lake are retrieved and put into use for economic ventures.
Oliver Chatelais, Duty Ambassador French Embassy, applauded the federal ministry of environment for organizing this event.
Chatelais, further stated that,“ in France 2015 made a treaty on environment in agreement between states in respect to plastic waste, however, he added that if the reconciliation are not followed, plastic waste will multiply by three within twenty years and all the countries as at today are victim of this, especially African countries, for instance Lagos Nigeria you will be seeing waste on the sea, the effort is very importance and the European Union commission is also in joined effort to combat this norms, also to work with Nigeria”.
The essence of the celebration of World Environment Day is to clean our environment.
In her good will massages, Ms. Samuela Isopi, the European Union Commission Ambassador to Nigeria affirmed that “on this day we choose this place which is very symbolic; the Jabi Lake, this is where all the people living in Abuja go for relaxation, it is also associated with memories to reunion the of families, to play games, and others celebrations activities.
“This lake is also an ecosystem and the European Union commission has an interest in preserving the lake.
“Looking into the lake you will see a lot of plastic waste, so we gather here today to take care of the environment, we must take it upon ourselves not to throw away our waste, and also by teaching the children that the environment must be respected and it is not only the government duty, it start from everyone us”, Isopi added.
In addition, She commended everyone that is part of the environment exercise, the citizens, and the associations to mobilized and conveyed these messages not only on environment day but every day. “So join us every day by not throwing the waste into the environment” Isopi said.