• Says there are penalties
• FG pledges collaboration to protect environment

Lagos State government, yesterday, warned residents and technicians against using ozone-depleting gases in refrigerators and other cooling equipment.

General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr Babatunde Ajayi, who gave the warning during a programme to mark this year’s World Ozone Day celebration, organised by the agency, urged the repair of leaking equipment and the exclusive use of correct and non-depleting gases by certified technicians to prevent further depletion of the ozone layer.

Ajayi stated that the programme aligns with this year’s theme, “From Science to Global Action,” which aims to promote public awareness and control harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and also calls for action and not just rhetoric.

The General Manager of the agency, who stated that there are penalties for those who use ozone-depleting gases, however, said that some critical stakeholders had been complying, especially when their attention is drawn to taking the right steps.

He further said that LASEPA regularly carries out sensitisation programmes and campaigns across local councils among critical stakeholders to drive better outcomes and prevent the depletion of the Ozone layer.

Also, President of the Nigerian Association of Refrigeration and Air conditioning Practitioners (NARAP), Ibrahim Ahmed, who was represented at the event by Ogunsanya Olawale, said that though the Ozone layer is on the path to recovery, the people and critical stakeholders must recommit themselves to best global practices, support sustainable practices and take environmentally conscious decisions.

In her keynote address, Federal Controller of Environment and South West Director, Adenike Olabimpe Oladunni, stated that Ozone layer depletion is a global environmental problem and requires a global responsibility to fix it.

MEANWHILE, Minister of the Environment, Balarabe Lawal, has said that the ministry will continue to work tirelessly together with all to protect the environment from ozone-depleting substances, saying that scientific evidence shows that the ozone layer is on track to recover by 2066.

Lawal, who spoke during the celebration in Abuja, said that the Vienna Convention was adopted 40 years ago, followed by the Montreal Protocol, which remains the most successful multilateral environmental agreement, and served as a guide to the global phase-out of ozone-depleting substances.

He said that this year’s theme underscored the vital role of science in driving collective environmental solutions.

The minister, therefore, noted the efforts of international partners, such as the UNDP, UNIDO, UNEP and GIZ, in implementing the protocols, lauding them for supporting agencies like the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and NESREA to achieve the goals over the years.