Abimbola Abatta, Osogbo
In order to reverse the dangerous trend of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, Nigerians have been urged to reset their attitude and relation with nature.
Nigerians were also charged on the need for collective step-up action for drastic restoration of the nation’s God-given natural ecosystem.
Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood gave this charge on Saturday during the 2021 World Environment Day celebration themed “Ecosystem Retoration-resetting Our Relation With Nature” in Osogbo.
According to the minister, the Federal Government has engaged local and international partners to formulate enabling policies and legislations to reduce the alarming rate of deforestation standing which is between 3.7 – 4.0 percent.
He said the government has also commenced the execution of nature-based programmes and projects to address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss in view of their multiple benefits.
Mahmood recounted some numerous challenges such as deforestation, desertification, land and ecosystem degradation, pollution, climate change and recently, COVID-19 pandemic which according to him are posed by environmental degradation and biodiversity loss.
“In the on-going National Afforestation Programme across all the ecological zones of the country, the Ministry has just established four Hectares of forest plantation at Ago Owu Forest Reserve in Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State.
“However, these challenges appear to be insurmountable due to the fact that the driving proximate and underlying factors such as overpopulation, the quest for food, poverty, social insecurity, imbalance trade, etc., remain global issues and are yet to be frontally and decisively addressed.
“Restoring the ecosystem is an ample opportunity explorable by man if the current dangerous trend must be reversed. It indeed, requires resetting our attitude and relation with nature.”
Noting that the entire world is being confronted with enormous challenges that can be best described as unprecedented, the minister said, “The need for urgent collective step-up action by everyone, irrespective of social status, religion and political leaning, for drastic restoration of our God-given natural ecosystem is crucial.”
He assured that the government will not fail to provide necessary support required to ensure that Nigerians live in harmony with nature.
Also speaking, Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola called on residents of Osun and Nigerians to wake up to the realities of the implications of their actions in relation to their interaction with the environment.
Oyetola disclosed that his administration had commenced proactive steps aimed at addressing unlawful actions of ignorant citizens of the State and their collaborators in order to save the ecosystem and the environment.
In his address, the Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mr Sola Oladepo, appealed to citizens to pay close attention to their relationship with the environment, saying “What we do to our environment always have direct consequences on us.
Oladepo further added that, “The environment is our common heritage, we cannot afford to toy with it in our own interest and for generations to come.”