The Oyo State Ministry of Environment will launch a sanitary club in selected secondary schools in order to inculcate the spirit of cleanliness among youths.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr Bashiru Olanrewaju, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ibadan.
Olanrewaju said that the sanitary club, to be code-named “Clean and Green Club” would be created in June to imbibe the habit of cleanliness.
“You know, the elders have lost the habit of cleanliness, but if we are able to inculcate the habit in the children, then the future is bright for our nation and state.’’
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He said that the youths would be taught about measures to take to mitigate the effects of climate change and the consequences of ozone depletion.
“This will also empower them because we will encourage them right from school to start planting trees in commercial quantity.
“If they have vacant plots of land, the government will provide them free seedlings to plant trees so that before they complete their schooling, they can become employers of labour,’’ Olanrewaju said.
The permanent secretary lamented that the nation’s forest was now depleting “to the extent that there is a scarcity of strong trees that can be used for roofing and furniture works’’.
He said that the ‘Clean and Green Club’, after the initial launch in selected schools in June, it would extend to all secondary schools later.
He added that the ministry would roll out more developmental programmes that would enhance the environment, very soon. (NAN)
