Kwara Charges Residents on Clean Environmental Sustainability

Kwara State Government has charged residents of the state to join hands with the present administration, with the aim of recovering the environments back to a cleaner and greener one, reiterating its commitment to a healthy living environment.

The Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq made the call this week, during the celebration of year 2024 World Environment Day, organised by the ministry in collaboration with E-Solution Consult Ltd and other partners in the environment sector.

Governor AbdulRahman who was represented by the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Alhaji AbdulRazaq Jiddah disclosed that this year’s theme is ‘Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience,’ describing it as “a call to protect and revitalize our land, water, trees and ecosystems in general, adding that they are key at achieving Sustainable Development Goals.”

The Governor however lamented that, “our environment has been adversely affected by both natural and human activities such as flood, deforestation, fossil fuel consumption, industrial pollution, improper waste disposal, agricultural practices and so on, thereby leading to great climatic changes.

“In the past one could predict when it will rain and when the dry season will set in, that is no longer the case now which is a reality.”

On the efforts of the State Government so far, AbdulRazaq assured that the State Government will not rest on its oars in the area of routine industrial inspection, so as to curtail green house gas emission, desilting of drainages and dredging of rivers to curtail flood, public sensitization and awareness programmes.

He also assured that his Government will continue with the provision of waste compactors and ro-ro bins at strategic locations in the State, for proper waste management, enforcement of environmental laws and prosecutions of offenders.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the State Commissioner for Environment, Mallam Shehu Ndanusa Usman has applauded the Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his unflinching support for the ministry, in its efforts at eradicating indiscriminate dumping of refuse, illegal felling of trees among others activities, that have contributed to the sustainability of clean and hygenic environment in the state.

The Commissioner said the present administration will not relent in its efforts at mitigating the effect of climate change with tree planting, most especially in climate ravaged communities and also eradicate illegal logging and indiscriminate dumpings in the state.

He further revealed that the inauguration of Inter-ministerial committee on climate change, inauguration of special taskforce on waste management and charcoal production among others are strategies employed to put sanity on our environments, for healthy living of Kwarans.

The Commissioner commended Governor AbdulRazaq’s led administration for taking, “climate resilient initiatives through programs like ACReSAL, NGCARES, LPRESS and collaborative tree planting, that improves the capacity of Kwarans, towards climate adaptation.”

He reminded the gathering that government alone cannot do it, he therefore informed the environmental stakeholders, Corporate organizations and NGOs that government is ready to partner with any focussed and result oriented organization, that will transform waste to a renewable energy generation for economic development of the state, to promote healthy living environments.

Delivering a lecture, at the event, the representative of Amsol Biogas Ltd, Mr Ajala Busari, spoke on biogas production potentials from different wastes.

According to him, wastes generated in our homes can be converted to biogas, that is a renewable energy.

On his part, Mr Olusola Yahaya Gegele of Premium Low Economy Innovation and Investment said the environment could be rich and become a gold mine of any country, if well harnessed and the opportunity utilised.

“There are various ways to make money from what we refer to as wastes, by coming up with policies in line with them and engaging NGOs that have related visions.”

in his keynote address, Dr Yusuf Adiama from the Department of Environmental Studies, Kwara State University, Malete, noted there is need to know that, we can no longer continue in the way we do things, with the present state of our environment, because it will keep deteriorating.

“We need to restore our land which can be likened to a loan, that should be used in such a way, that would be beneficial to us and future generations.”

Dignitaries at the event were; the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Jidah, the Kwara First Lady, Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq, represented by Engr AbdulRahman Giwa, Chairman House Committee on Environment and Health, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. AbdulRazaq Owolabi and other top government functionaries.