EDO State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has advised a non-governmental organization, save the Ozone Nigeria to embark on enlightenment of the public on the need to protect the environment.
He gave the advice when members of the Boards of Trustees (BOT) of the Save The Ozone Nigeria led by the Chairman of the Board, Prof Sylvester Oriaifo paid him a courtesy visit in Benin City.
With the intensified sensitization, the governor said public would be aware of the harm they were doing to the environment such as throwing refuse into road-side drains and the dumping of water sachets and plastics waste into it especially as these particular waste products don’t melt or dissolve but he expressed the determination of the state to raise the environment – friendly awareness.
He reedled the importation of fairly used vehicles plying the roads, all manners of small electric power generating set and even the bigger generating plants which made huge noise and emission were part of the huge challenge that were being encountered.
Governor Oshiomhole therefore told the BOT members and management of the Save the Ozone Nigeria that there were a lot they could do and there were a lot they must do to save the environment.
Furthermore, he emphasised that the state government had carried out planting of trees and providing tree – seedlings, embarked on the Benin Storm water control project, part of which a very deep and wide drainage to control flooding and erosion had been constructed.
Hence Governor Oshiomhole encouraged the members of the organization to sustain whatever they had been doing adding that “it is not about us; you should continue to sensitise the people. This time is now,” “ so that we restore sanity and save the environment for the future.
While assuring them to maintain their non-political stance, Governor Oshiomhole urged them to liaise with the state Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities towards the realization of their requests which included a small piece of land for their building of the Save The Ozone Nigeria Secretariat.
Earlier, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Save the Ozone Nigeria, Prof. Sylvester Oriaifo hinted that the mission was to create the needed awareness on the negative consequences of depletion of Ozone Layer by sensitizing the general public and stakeholders on the need to protect and preserve the environment from all forms of pollution and degradation through assiduous campaign for a friendly and sustainable environment for current and future generations.
Beside enumerating the aims and objectives of the organizations to include campaigning against emissions of green house (GH) most especially the indiscriminate release of chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere, Prof. Oriaifo also noted the effect of climate change on the environment and preferred solutions such as awareness campaign, attitudinal change of the public, capacity building of committed scientists, and avoidance of conflict between sound environment and strong economic growth among others.
Prof. Oriaifo solicit for funds and 72m by 72m price and concluded that the idea is that his administration leaves as one of its legacies imput of “(climate change theme” as a component now.
Highpoint of the visit is the presentation of a souvenir to the governor.
Gov. Adams Oshiomhole
