By Gabriel Agbeja
The Federal Government on Thursday partnered with the People Planet and Peace Foundation to sensitise market traders in Abeokuta on waste management and environmental sustainability.
Mr Oyekan Adedoyin, Director, Youth Migration and Climate Action Resilience Department, said the sensitisation was part of the Climate Beyond Borders Caravan (CBBC), an initiative of the People Planet and Peace Foundation.
Adedoyin said the government participated in the programme to ensure that the objectives of the CBBC were fully realised towards advancing a green economy in Nigeria.
“We came to Omida Market to promote environmental sustainability, highlight opportunities in waste management and encourage traders to embrace clean-up advocacy.
“Climate change is with us and we must act fast. Climate action should be part of our daily lives. This campaign started in Abuja and is now in Ogun State,” he said.
According to him, waste remains a resource that can be harnessed to create jobs and productively engage youths.
Responding, the Iyaloja of Omida Market, Mrs Victoria Kodaow, thanked the federal government and the foundation for the sensitisation programme.
She promised that traders in the market would apply the knowledge gained from the exercise.
In another development, the team paid a courtesy visit to the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola.
The traditional ruler stressed the need to prioritise environmental protection alongside economic development.
“I believe strongly that no matter how economic development is pursued, leaving out environmental protection amounts to digging one’s own grave.
“Nations that pursued economic development without considering the environment later regretted their actions and had to spend huge resources to reverse the damage,” he said.
Matemilola pledged full collaboration with the team toward sustaining environmental protection initiatives.
According to him, seeing youths engage in such activities give leaders hope for a better future.
“For us as a developing nation, we need continuous encouragement of sustainability.
“When we talk about the global North and the global South, it is the global South that is protecting the world through forest and wildlife conservation.
“Like the name of your initiative suggests, the world has no borders. Whatever we do in Abeokuta or Lagos affects neighbouring countries such as Benin Republic and Togo. Climate change knows no borders,” he said.
The team also visited Olumo Rock, a renowned tourist destination known for its ancient caves, sacred shrines, elevator and panoramic city views. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi
