By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of state for FCT Dr Ramatu Aliyu has said enforcing environmental guidelines in the territory is a challenging task that must not be left in the hands of one person .
He said the administration was doing its best to protect the environment, but needs more cooperation of the residents and concerned stakeholders.
She stated this during 2022 World Earth Day held at FCT Department of Parks and Recreation, recently.
Mrs Aliyu who was represented by the permanent secretary FCTA Adesola Olusade, called on the education sector to ensure that environmental subjects are taught in schools from foundation classes.
She called on community based organisations to be fully involved in spreading the message and taking positive actions to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Aliyu, however, described the commitment of majority of nations across the world to keep faith with efforts of protecting the environment including resolutions reached at the World Climate Change Conference as heartwarming and encouraging.
The minister, however, regretted that due to human activities such as overconsumption, population growth and technology, the biophysical environment is being degraded resulting to adverse and extreme weather phenomena such as flooding, heat waves, hurricanes, typhoons and desertification.
“The consequences of these have adversely affected the lives and livelihood of millions around the world and resulted to drought, famine, and forced migration, which has led to clashes amongst communities and even an increase in diseases caused by the consumption of foods from contaminated farmlands, rivers, oceans and even meat and livestock,” she affirmed.
Aliyu, therefore, called for collective and sustained efforts of all, stressing that mass mobilization and awareness campaigns should be stepped up to galvanize the public into taking positive actions against the dangers facing mankind due to the degradation of the environment.
