Environmentalists are calling for sustainable policy framework on renewable energy, to meet the 2030 global target of power generation that will be friendly to mother Earth.They are also appealing to the Federal government to shun the importation of non hazardous wastes which may be detrimental to earth’s resources.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 22nd April as International Mother Earth Day through a resolution adopted in 2009.This year’s theme; “Our Power, Our Planet,” calls on people worldwide to unite behind renewable energy and promote clean electricity by 2030 while highlighting the need to shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet.
Emphasising on the theme, National Publicity Secretary of the Waste Management Society of Nigeria WAMASON, Mr. Benson Abu, urged governments and the private sector to invest more on renewable energy.
“On renewable energy, we also call on the government to create an enabling environment for the private sector to actually thrive. We are appealing, using this world earth day to also appeal to the Rivers State government that the issue of the mother Earth should not be politicised. Waste should not be politicised.”
Mr. Abu also called for actions to mitigate the harm done to earth’s resources by avoiding the importation of obsolete wastes in the name of non hazardous wastes into the country.
“It is my pleasure to also draw the attention of the Federal governmentthat the intents of importing non hazardous waste in Nigeria is not necessary. We do not have the infrastructure or facility. Let us not give room to the developed countries to see Nigeria as a dumping ground”.
Also, a member of the institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria, Mr Reuben Ossai while advocating the embrace of cleaner energy for the country noted that like most developing countries, Nigeria is expected to adopt precautionary principle in matters concerning waste, stating that there is a thin line between hazardous and non-hazardous waste. According to Mr. Ossai,
“IEPN agrees that Waste industry needs development to protect public health, conserve our ecological capital, provide jobs for citizens, and in addition supply Refuse-Derived-Fuel (RDF) to our energy-intensive industries, and possibly power.
The Institute also affirms that importation of any form of waste will deprive our economy of growth (because waste as a result of economic activity must have generated economic value for the exporting country), and as a zero-capacity nation it will constitute an ecological cost of inestimable value.” “All waste has potential to cause harm however some has greater potential than others due to their dangerous continent, behavior or reaction when exposed to certain condition/environment. Therefore, Non-hazardous waste and Hazardous waste is separated by a thin line defined by cientific analysis. Scientific analysis requires capacity in three dimensions: equipment, infrastructure and personnel. With due respect to our scientists, does Nigeria have the capacity to identify what is hazardous and non-hazardous waste in all ramification?”
He asked.He said the question begs for answer considering the decay in infrastructure, high cost of laboratory equipment, and the impact of “jakpa syndrome. He said the negative effects of waste always goes back to mother Earth, hence, caution must be taken to save the resources.
Ossai who is also the pioneer President of the Waste Management Society of Nigeria said Nigeria generates about 60million tons of waste with about 6% as hazardous waste.
“This is continually increasing due to many factors. The country management capacity remains rudimentary or primordial, lacking capacity to offer the urban population minimal waste collection service talk less of treatment infrastructure of any form. It is better said that our cities are choking with waste with little or no solution at sight. “
Another environmentalists, Mrs Constance Meju frowned at various harmful practices on mother earth with effects on plants and fishes and consequently on women and children who are often very vulnerable.
“For women, they are stuck with that environment and they depend on the land and water. Now, you go fishing, you don’t get anything. In most of the coastal communities, they eat ice fish, we used to scorn ice fish because there is fresh fish but because of much harm that has been done to the land and water, people eat whatever is available now.”
Today marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day and this year’s slogan buttresses the point that, protecting the planet earth is everyone’s responsibility. “Let’s be part of it.”
