Nigerians have been urged to support government at all levels in keeping a safe environment as the impacts of climate change have continued to be evident in the global community, Nigeria inclusive.
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the plea at the 2023 Annual Summit of the Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, ALARHOSPS, held at Alausa Ikeja, Lagos.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Mr. Sanwo-Olu said that with the reality of the impact of Climate Change on the environment, all hands must continue to be on deck to safe the environment from its devastating effects.
He explained that with the various strategies put in place by federal and some state governments to combat the impact of Climate Change in the society, the nation should be able to keep its environment safe from the devastating effects of Climate change with the support of the people if they were determined to engage in environment friendly activities.
The Governor stressed that the complex interplay between urban development, population growth, and environmental preservation had continued to demand innovative solutions and decisive action on the part of the Lagos state government in particular.
He said that this reality had informed the substantial strides his administration had taken in addition to building on the efforts made by previous administrations to mitigate the effects of Climate Change.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said his administration had actively engaged in initiatives that encouraged good waste management, reduce carbon emissions, and increase energy efficiency which was the major objective of the energy transition plan which his administration was committed to.
In a Goodwill message, the Head of Service, Lagos State, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola said that Lagos residents in particular, needed to embrace eco-friendly activities in order to keep the environment safe for the sake of generations unborn.
He explained that although the rising sea levels and ocean surges were understood to be the most pressing climate-related risks for Lagos state, rain-induced flooding and saltwater intrusion had been occuring especially, in communities adjacent to the coast and lagoons.
Mr. Muri-Okunola therefore, said that the Challenge Posed by Climate Change had prompted the administration of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to unveil a Five-year Climate Action Plan in 2020 to achieve a zero-carbon Lagos, with the aim of transforming the State to an emission-neutral city by 2050.
Taking a cursory look at the theme of the Summit, entitled Climate Change: Man, Nature, and Threat To Life-Lagos State as Case Study, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin of the Department of Geography
University of Ibadan advised the Lagos State Government to encourage eco- friendly activities in the state to avoid environmental disaster in the Coastal city.
He also advised the private sector to assist government financially in its strive to keep the environment safe in the face of Climate Change.
Prof.Gbadegesin emphasized that some of the developmental activities being carried out in Lagos State were not eco-friendly and as such, the government needed to look into means of addressing the situation.
The President, Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Femi Olugbile said that his association which was a think-tank of the government intended to come up with impactful recommendations at the end of the two-day Submit that would further guide government’s decision in having environment friendly policies.
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