An Environment expert, Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo, on Tuesday called for effective implementation of policies and programmes to help tackle environmental challenges in the country.
Oladipo who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, also urged the mass media to ensure that accurate and efficient information on environmental issues were disseminated.
He said such accurate information would give the public better understanding of the importance of protecting and keeping the environment healthy.
According to Oladipo, the key message is that the environment is the people’s only means of livelihood and if they don’t manage it well, it will definitely create problems for them.
“But if we manage it well it is a life sustaining system that will keep us going forever.
“My other message is that for people to know how to manage environment well, they need to be well communicated and the role of the media is to make that message very clear, simple and relevant to the public.
“The media should give the public such message that people will understand what they are saying and be able to adapt to the changes required to sustain the environment.
“Government has quite a lot of laws and policies, but the enforcement of those laws and implementation of those policies remain relatively weak and they need to be strengthened.
“Government should put more effort for effective implementation of such policies, programmes and other relevant issues on environment to enable more ideas and strategies on how to address the problems.
“More importantly, part of the challenges the media may be having could be to even identify the clear environmental structure of the country, it is a problem.
“The media don’t know where to go in some instances but the Ministry of Environment is the main source of information.
“All sectors of our development have impact on our environment, so all sectors should be involved, not just the ministry,” he said.
Oladipo urged the government to be engaging yearly reporting on state of the environment, adding that the report would be able to identify both negative and positive results.
”Also, from the report, the Minister and other relevant stakeholders will be able to come up with strategies, actions, plans, and effective implementations.
“These can make the environment sustainable and bring meaningful development for our generation,” he said.
(NAN)
