The Ondo State government has swiftly responded to the devastating flood that ravaged parts of the state, ordering the immediate evacuation of affected residents and launching rapid response efforts to mitigate further damage.....Read Full Article>>
This timely intervention aims to alleviate the suffering of those impacted, particularly in areas such as Itanla, Oka, Odo Ijomu, Bethlehem, and Akure-Ondo Expressway, where properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.
This was contained in a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Oyeniyi Oseni. The statement declared that the government had put every necessary machinery in place to avert the flood in the future.
The statement added that Amphibious Excavators had been deployed into critical erosion-prone areas in the state for dredging.
According to the commissioner, the cause of the flooding on Friday also could be attributed to development on waterways in an estate at Fagun and along the Ife road area of the community.
He further stated that his ministry was going to collaborate with the relevant section of the government to address the unlawful development along the waterways.
Ban On Sachet Water Begins January-Lagos Govt
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab has disclosed that the ban of the circulation of sachet water and single-used plastics will begin from January 2025.
Wahab disclosed this at a stakeholders’ workshop and awareness on the implementation of the ban on the usage of Styrofoam and SUPs for packaging in Lagos recently.
He said that the ban was part of measures by the State Government to put in place policy guidelines for plastic utility in further ensuring a sustainable management of plastic waste, healthy and safe environment.
Recall that the state first announced the ban on the use and distribution of styrofoam and other single use plastics in January.
Wahab had disclosed that the decision was taken as a result of menace single use plastics, especially the non-biodegradable styrofoam, was causing on the environment.
Also, the Federal Government had in June announced a ban on single-use plastics across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies ( MDAs).
The Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who made the announcement emphasised that the ban aligns with the government’s broader plastic waste management strategy, adding that the menace of plastic pollution was a major issue in our country.
“This initiative demonstrates our commitment to addressing the triple threat of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution,” he had said.
Climate Change: Salako Urges Nigerians To Plant One Tree Annually
The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, has urged Nigerians to take action against climate change by planting and nurturing at least one tree per year.
The minister made the call during the Tree Planting Campaign Lunch held at the University of Abuja, recently.
Salako disclosed that at the beginning of the year, he had made a commitment to personally plant and nurture at least 50 trees and expressed happiness that he had exceeded his target.
“My hope is to see a time when every adult Nigerian plant and nurture at least one tree per annum as our personal climate action to address the challenges of climate change which is now staring all of us in the face. We can also this day commit to planting and nurturing trees to commemorate our special occasions such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries and so on,” he said.
He added that when “we plant these trees, we acknowledge the urgent need for climate action, recognizing the importance of biodiversity conservation and emphasizing community engagement in environmental protection”.
Salako stated that the President Bola Tinubu mission as regards the environment is to promote eco-friendly practices, support reforestation efforts and foster a culture of sustainability.
“The government is committed to increasing its forest cover to meet the recommended 25 per cent cover, restore degraded forests, promote sustainable forest management and conservation, enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services and dupport climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
“ To this end, one key deliverable of the Federal Ministry of Environment and its agencies in 2024 is to plant at least 6 million trees,” he said.
He added that the federal government is also driving its forest agenda through the Great Green Wall (GGW) Programme, a 15-kilometer-wide green belt across 11 states to combat desertification.
He called on Nigerians to work collaboratively to mitigate the challenges of climate change, preserve natural habitats and ensure a healthier environment for future generations.
“As we know, the benefits of trees are many including climate change mitigation , erosion control, water cycle regulation, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, green jobs, livelihood support, economic benefits from sustainable forest management, carbon credits, eco-tourism and so on,” he said.
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