29 environmentalists receive encouragement award in Lagos

Twenty-nine environmentalists were honoured with awards at the end of a two-day Africa Clean Up Conference with the theme: “Engaging Local Communities on Best Sustainable Practice in Sanitation and Waste Management.” It was organised by Executive Director, Passion House, Alex Akhigbe in Lagos.

The awardees included Chairman, Lagos State Urban Forest and Animal Shelter Initiative (LUFASI), Desmond Majekodunmi, General Manager, Lagos State Parks and Garden Agency (LASPARK), Mrs. Abimbola Jijowo-Ogun, Chief Executive Officer, West Africa Energy, Paul O’Callaghan, former General Manager, Lagos State Waste Management Authority, (LAWMA), Dr. Ola Oresanya, Campaign Co-ordinator, 17 Up-Africa and Chief Executive Officer and Country Director, Centre for Development Initiative, Dr. Margaret Obanga among others.

According to Akhigbe, the reason for the conference was to encourage as well as increase sensitization and advocacy on best sustainable practice in sanitation and waste management both at the local and international communities, using social media, newspaper, television, radio among others.
“Though the level of awareness has increased greatly, compared with when people felt it was predominantly the government’s responsibility to take care of their environment as long as they were paying their taxes, there is need to intensify the campaign.

“That was the reason we had the endorsement of authorities including the Ministry of the Environment, Abuja and that of Lagos State, Africa Youth Initiative and Climate Change, Gambia, West Africa Energy as well as LASPARK and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) that gave a talk during the conference.

“Much as we are not limiting our advocacy to local communities for which reason we had two participants from outside Nigeria, we are imploring the government to also look beyond policy at the federal level and think of how they would engage people at the grassroots, who would then do something in line with what they believe in and stand for. Government should support events of this nature that promote sanitation” Akhigbe said.

Product Manager, Hypo Limited, Jadesola Surakat said the company partners with Passion House to create the awareness that hypo contributes immensely to general sanitation as well as environmental best practices.

According to Obanga, “We are particular about youths in high schools with a view to catching them young to be environmental activists.