…Sanction awaits encroachers on our forest reserves, those indiscriminately disposing waste – Oyetola
BLESSING AKOROWOSI, Osogbo
In commemoration of 2021 World Environment Day, the Federal gGovernment has declared improved efforts and enabling policies to tackle environmental challenges across the country for national development.
Speaking at the commemoration event held in Osogbo, Osun State on Saturday, the Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammed Mahmud Abubakar stated that execution of nature-based programmes and projects to address environmental challenges has commenced.
Deforestation, climate change, land and ecosystem degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution, Covid-19 pandemic amongst other challenges were pointed alongside policies to tackle them.
Abubakar said: “The Federal Government, being conscious of the alarming rate of deforestation standing at between 3.7 – 4 per cent has continued to engage locally and internationally, in addition to the formulation of enabling policies and legislations aimed to bring the situation under control.
“The Federal Government has also commenced execution of nature-based programmes and projects to address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss in view of their multiple benefits which include among others, climate amelioration, improved ecosystem services, enhanced water security, enhanced food security (especially through Agroforestry, improved soil organic carbon and water retention, improved productivity and resilience), disaster risk reduction, and improved nature-based jobs and livelihoods.
“At the just concluded National Council on Environment, the issue of Nature Based Solution was at the front burner. This came as a result of the renewed awareness on its cost effectiveness in the long-term management of ecosystem crises and its potential contribution to the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). It is also expected to facilitate the National and Global targets including the 2030 Development agenda that Nigeria is already making steady progress.
“We have come a long way in dealing with these numerous challenges. 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.”
The Minister further called on citizens to begin to take responsibility for their environment as he said, “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.
“Setting the pace, the Federal Government has made some efforts at all levels of governance to promote resilient environmental sustainability in the context of national development. These initiatives include; Promoting enabling policy environment, Strengthening institutional capacity;
Building partnerships and participating in global initiation; and implementing special initiatives and actions.”
Exposing the recent developments in the ministry, Abubakar noted that four hectares of forest plantation has been established in Osun at Ago Owu Forest Reserve in Irewole Local Government Area.
“In the same vein, awareness creation and advocacy targeting local and larger communities, schools and other stakeholders, has also just been concluded in the State. These attest to the recognition of Osun State by the Ministry as being strategic to our sustainable environment drive.”
Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, in his address, 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.
“Our government frowns upon the affront of people who are in the habit of encroaching on our forest reserves by felling trees, setting fires on the forest for farming purposes as well as those engaging in indiscriminate waste disposal and pollution of the environment. The government is poised to invoke the full weight of the law against anyone caught in these unpatriotic acts.
“The Government of the State of Osun has commenced planting of trees to reverse the status of our degraded forests while projects on watershed protection is also receiving due consideration.
“The waste management effort of the State Government is currently under review, while flood and erosion control works are ongoing in various parts of the state,” Oyetola said
