2019 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY – 5th JUNE 2019
PRESS STATEMENT
As the world marks this year’s World Environment Day, UNAN joins the rest of the world to mark the day with focus on this year’s theme ‘BEAT AIR POLLUTION’.
From various studies carried out, it is estimated that air pollution causes Seven (7) Million deaths yearly across the World. 93% of Children grow up in toxic and polluted environment and the situation in Nigeria is not encouraging. It can be described as ‘horrendous’ unfortunately without due attention to the crisis of Air pollution in our country. In other parts of the World, daily air quality is now regularly measured and reported on the Television and Radio Stations, just like weather Reports. This is a reflection of the level of importance accorded air pollution today. One cannot imagine the poor air quality in all parts of Nigeria with generators (big and small ones including small ones known as ‘I better pass my neighbour’) as a primary source of electricity supply. There are also Cars, trucks, passenger buses and large articulated vehicles in decrepit conditions traversing all parts of the country polluting the atmosphere. We therefore call on President Muhammadu Bhuari who has commenced a second tenure to accord this issue a priority. We call in particular for appointment of a competent Professional as Minister to head the Ministry of Environment for effective implementation of Nigeria’s National Environment Agenda.
We also call on governments at other levels especially the newly elected State Governors, to draw up Action Plans as they settle down to governance, to curb air pollution and tackle other environmental problems in their territories.This they can do by making judicious use of Ecological Fund regularly allocated to them. Similarly we call on individual Citizens to play their part in the concerted efforts to reduce air pollution and ensure environmental sustainability in their activities in the struggle for a green world.
Finally UNAN aligns itself with the statement of the UN Secretary-General to mark the 2019 Environment day calling for action to act decisively to beat air pollution in the quest for a “Green World not a Grey world”.
Engr. Ganiyu OWOLABI
Secretary-General, UNA-Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria.
5th June 2019.