Through four of its agencies in Lagos State, the Lagos State Government assigned youths with environmental sustainability on Thursday.
The government announced its willingness to engage youths with environmental activism. This will expose them to the vulnerability of their environment, unfriendly environmental practices, and the need for a more sustainable lifestyle.
This was made public by Dr Dolapo Fawade, General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA); Ibrahim Odumboni (Managing Director), Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA); Prince Ademola Docemo (Managing Director), Lagos State Signage & Advertising Agency LASAA); and Mrs. Adetoun Popoola (General Manager, Lagos State Parks and Gardens).
These heads of agencies made this statement during an advocacy talk and quiz competition for students of state public schools at the Lagos State University’s 25th Convocation Ceremony. The quiz competition was held at Ojo in Lagos to test their knowledge about basic environmental topics.
The event, according to the organizers was to felicitate with the state’s oldest owned university, Lagos State University (LASU), on the occasion of its 25th convocation ceremony and further commemorate the achievement of the citadel of learning with an environmental friendly awareness program to reawaken the consciousness of taking actions against pollution.
They claim that various laudable programs were launched by the State Government to direct schoolchildren’s attention to an environment that is sustainable from a young age.
The statement reads: “In recognition of the importance of our youth as agent of change who needs to urgently show commitment through their lifestyles and actions to tackle global environmental problems, this program was collectively put together as a single voice, confronted with multiple common challenges attributed to unfriendly practices, that if not addressed, may lead to natural disasters.
“Young people constitute a large part of the worlds population, hence the need to inculcate good habits in them and imbibe the culture of responsibilities and wise use of the environment. Therefore, todays move was to reaffirm our collective responsibility to environmental education and youth participation in environmental protection, they echoed.”
The quiz competition, which saw students from LASU/Ojo as well as its surrounding schools, produced four winners. They were Omijie Happiness (Azurundu Munachi Bridget), Okafor Divine, Okafor Housing Estate respectively, and Esther Ayomide at Army Cantonment Girls school.
The winners received cash prizes and gifts, while other participants were rewarded with eco-friendly products like reusable bags, multiple use bottles, plant seedlings, and degradable refuse bags.
The organizers claimed that the gift choice was symbolic and in support both of the government’s circular economy drive and the recycling approach.