The Green Janitors Sustainable Initiative on Sunday condemned the indiscriminate dredging of waterways and encroachment of wet lands in Lagos communities.Alhaji Abdul-Salam Ashade, the Chief Executive Officer of the initiative, expressed his displeasure during an event to celebrate 2024 World Environment Day in Badagry.
BRANDPOWER reports that the theme of 2024 World Environment Day is: “Our land our Future. Land Restoration, Drought Resilience and Desertification”.
Ashade said: “We want the people to stop the dredging of our waterways and also stop encroaching wet lands in Lagos community.
“The dredging is familiar with Badagry. Almost in all the communities, you see them dredging and bringing out water from the water.
“We have so many wet lands in Lagos, most of these lands have been encroached by the people who want to make money at all cost.
“All these are vital instruments to land restoration that we are talking about,” he said.
He said that all encroachment and indiscriminate dredging had resulted to flooding.
“This happens when they sell the wet land and fill it up with sand, chasing away the water because they want to build houses.
“Go to Gbaji in Badagry, you will see a lot of dredging going on.
“If this continues, if it rains, this results to flooding because there is no free flow of water,” he said.
Ashade said the theme of 2024 WED – “Our land, our future” champions the 2030 Agenda to move the world on to a sustainable and resilient path and joining forces to protect people and planet.
“World Environment Day 2024 builds momentum for climate action by rallying support for vital ecosystems restoration work.
“It aims to support Sustainable Development Goal 15- Life on Land, by accelerating progress on global commitments, which include protecting 30 per cent of land and sea for nature and restoring 30 percent of the planet’s degraded ecosystems.
“Billions across the world are facing food insecurity, crippling droughts, and livelihoods are under threat.
“That is why on World Environment Day, we’re asking young and passionate volunteers to join the global movement to restore our lands, increase drought resilience and combat desertification.
“Restoration is the natural solution to help address the triple planetary crisis, deliver new jobs, lower poverty and build resilience to extreme weather.
” Land is life and we must protect it,” he said.
Mrs Titi Oshodi ,the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, urged youths in Badagry to rise with one voice and protect their land from the dangers of indiscriminate dredging and coastal degradation.
“You have been chosen to stand to represent the future.
“Badagry presents a lot of opportunities, not only from the coastal angle, but from the emerging economy and industries that are coming soon
“There are lots of infrastructures coming to Badagry from Lagos State Development Plan.
“The town is holding up potential especially for the young ones,” she said.
Oshodi said she was happy with what the initiative was doing in Badagry.
“We are happy with what Green Janitors is doing in developing a number of initiative.
“And partnering with Lagos State University students and other NGO with the space to raise awareness and sensitise the youth to be more responsible with waste management,” she said.
Also speaking, Mr Sunday Akpan, the Assistant Chief Marine Engineer, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), representing Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, the General Manager, urged youths to protect their waterways.
Akpan advised the youth to stop indiscriminate dropping of plastics and other wastes in waterways.
“We must learn to protect our environment.
“If life above water refuses to protect the life below the water, very soon, life above water will soon join the life below the water,” he said.
BRANDPOWER reports that to mark the World Environment Day, many volunteers and NGOs engaged in cleaning Badagry waterways by picking plastics and other dirty things .
