With about 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, Nigeria ranks among countries with the highest contributions to plastic pollution.
To stem the tide, Travel Inn through its Green Project Foundation, the non-governmental organisation (NGO) arm of the company, has collaborated with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), to promote cleaner environment, healthy living and preservation of aquatic life through the clean-up of some shorelines in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Founder of Travel Inn Booking, Oma Nnorom, said that the green environment was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the company.
Nnorom, lamented that plastic waste indiscriminately disposed of in the ocean was negatively impacting aquatic life and the quality of human lives.
According to her, 70 per cent of oxygen comes from the ocean, but the contamination of the ocean with dirty and debris, affected fresh air or cleaner air in the country.
She stressed that plastic pollution in the ocean had continued to be on the rise, thereby hindering tourism, health and climate change in Nigeria.
She explained that Travel Inn Booking partnered with NIMASA and LAWMA in a bid to further create awareness and drive the message to the appropriate quarters, hoping that through the awareness, many Nigerians would be more cautious of their environments and the damage their action was doing to aquatic life, especially fishes in the ocean.
She added: “This has affected a lot of the fishermen because when they come to fish, the fishes are not healthy enough and when the fish is not healthy enough, when we consume it, it affects our own health as well. The whole oceans around us are being contaminated with waste.
“Most common waste is plastic; as you are aware, plastic has a long shelf life, it doesn’t degrade unlike other materials like biscuits or paper packs. A lot of the debris are plastics like water bottles, pet bottles and others.”
She promised that the company would sustain the campaign, while also spreading it beyond Lagos in the future.
She further lauded NIMASA and LAWMA for teaming up with the company to clean-up the ocean and improve aquatic life.
Also, the Managing Director, LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin who was represented at the occasion by Assistant Director, LAWMA Advocacy, Mr. Owolabi Oyetesu, assured that the agency would continue to partner with Travel Inn and other companies in their effort at evacuating the shoreline or a healthier living for humans and aquatic animals.
He called on Lagosians to imbibe the culture of evacuating their shorelines properly, while also patronising the Private Sector Partnership (PSP) for the disposal of their waste.
“Advocacy is continuous until you achieve the attitudinal change of the people. You must continue to raise awareness. We have been to a number of places here today and let them see why they need to evacuate their shorelines from time to time,” he added.
Also, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Moberola, who was represented at the occasion by Director, Marine Service of the agency, Dimowo Heaky, said the Federal Government was concerned with the sanctity of the nation’s oceans.
He explained that NIMASA had a Marine Action Plan for the development and safeguarding of the nation’s marine, saying that when unveiled, it would further promote sanctity in the sector.
Executive Director, Green Project Foundation, Amb. Franklin Enearu, in his speech said that the essence of the programme was to enhance aquatic life and healthy living among the populace.
He promised that items like litter bins, shovels, gloves, reflective jackets, rakes and wheelbarrows donated for the purpose of clean-up by NIMASA would be properly deployed.
