CALEB AYANSINA

The myriad of challenges affecting environment due mainly to the poor attitude of Nigerians towards environmental sanitation, is giving the Federal Government food for thought.

Against this backdrop, the government recently flagged-off  a campaign tagged ‘avoid dirt, be clean ’ to ensure a clean and healthy environment for all Nigerians.

At the launching in Abuja, the Vice President, Arc.Namadi Sambo said “the lack of personal commitment to hygiene and sanitation, harmful practices and the penchant to disregard environmental standards and regulations have made our citizens vulnerable to the attack of diseases, while also impacting negatively on the environment.

“Consequently, we are faced with the challenges of flood, erosion, desertification, deforestation and climate change among others.”

Represented by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, the Vice President maintained that the federal government “is vigorously implementing policies and initiatives aimed at achieving environmental sustainability”, but “negative attitude of our people is hampering the progress”.

Sambo maintained that the past flood disasters experienced by the nation “would have been minimal if people had been more conscious of the right attitude and behaviour towards the environment.”

Commending the National Orientation Agency, NOA for championing the campaign, he expressed confidence that “if the programme is faithfully implemented, it will go a long way to create desired national awareness and stimulate positive attitude and behavioural change that will bring about personal hygiene, enhanced environmental sanitation and effective management of our environment.”

The Director General of NOA, Mr Mike Omeri explained that “the World Waste Bin, WWB is an interactive waste bin designed to communicate with its users and mobilize them towards knowledge based environmental care.

“It is a communication tool which has elements that provide consistent regular environmental orientation and re-orientation for communities that need to know about becoming eco-friendly green spaces.”

According to him, “This will also create a projected minimum of 26,000 jobs for our teeming youths. We are making arrangements to integrate these marshals into the Subsidy Re –Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) of the federal government to provide stipends for our volunteers.”

Omeri called on all “Nigerians and all communities to acquire these World Waste Bins and assume ownership of the process while calling on governments at all levels to entrench sanitary programmes in the plan for infrastructural development.”