The Kwara State Government, North Central Nigeria says plans are underway to introduce additional strategies towards improving the state of it’s environment.
The strategies, as highlighted by the Kwara State Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Buge, includes but not limited to introduction of compulsory waste bins for every household to ensure a hitch free waste evacuation and appropriate disposal in the state, mandatory planting of trees and creation of water channels in each household.
The government explained that with the introduction of these bins, measures would also be put in place to ensure that residents make relevant payment per household while it becomes the responsibility of government to ensure waste generated are evacuated accordingly.
Hajia Buge stated this while addressing media practitioners and other stakeholders at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Environment.
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The Commissioner further stated that the meeting was preliminary to other engagement with relevant stakeholders in the community to ensure a seamless implementation of the strategies aimed at aligning Kwara State with the global community in responding to the effects of climate change which has even led to farmers committing suicide on account of loses on their farmland following the drought experienced last year.
According to the Commissioner, the increasing population in the metropolis is an inevitable reason to plan properly for effective waste management, address climate change, noise pollution, and take necessary mitigating and remedial measures.
Addressing the meeting is, the commissioner added that present strategies aimed at addressing indiscriminate dumping of waste is already yielding results but we need to consolidate and adopt sustainable strategies that is backed by appropriate laws.
Buge noted that to control flood, the construction of drainages would be a basic prerequisite to secure approvals for building new residential houses.
The Commissioner further charged the media team to serve as the Ambassadors of the environment in propagating these messages towards involving a climate friendly Kwara.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Abubakar Ayinla, while responding to questions from stakeholders and media representatives alayed fears that alteration in rainfall pattern, heat waves and imminent drought are all manifestations of climate changes which are amenable to appropriate easy to do changes like planting trees, curtailing felling of trees, as it has been achieved in some Asian countries with adverse natural climatic conditions.
In his response, the Chairman of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lanre Ahmed, commended the state government for the initiative and, more importantly, recognizing the media as an important stakeholder.
Contributions in the form of advice, questions, and reactions were entertained from the practitioners in attendance.
Also present at the meeting were the General Manager of the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency, Mr Jide Aina; the Director of Environment, Mrs Mary Mustapha; HoD Climate Change, Mr Iliasu AbdulGaniyu; and Environmental Health Officers of the Ministry, who made relevant contributions.