From the left: Mr Francis Eghehan, member, United States Government Exchange Alumni Association (USGEAA), Rivers State; Mr Temple Bright, PRO, USGEAA; Prof. Edward Ezedike, Chairman, USGEAA, Prof. Helen Emasealu, Librarian, University of Port Harcourt; Prof. Andrew Obafemi, Dept. of Geography and Environmental Management, Uniport and Dr. K.U. Nwanyanwu, General Secretary, USGEAA Rivers State at the 2024 World Environment Day celebration held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in June, 2024.
The Rivers State chapter of the United States Government Exchange Alumni Association has warned against the indiscriminate cutting down of trees due to its negative impact on the environment.
The group made this plea at an event it organized to mark the 2024 World Environment Day Celebration at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The Rivers state chapter president of the group, Professor Edward Ezedike, told newsmen during the event that the habit of cutting down of trees must stop noting that those indulging in such habits do not know the implications of what they actoon would cause the environment.
‘As you can see in the Northern part of Nigeria, there is desertification and desert encroachment and if you look at this part of the country people are cutting down trees indiscriminately and some of them don’t even know the implications of what they are doing. They should stop that practice and instead plant trees,” he said.
Also speaking Professor Andrew Obafemi of the Department of Geography University of Port Harcourt said the theme for this year’s celebration was to bring to the front burner the importance of conservation of the environment.
Obafemi said the slogan of the one day event, which is : “our land ,our future,” was chosen to highlight issues that impact the environment negatively and what should be done to bring about a change .
The university Don who regretted the level of environmental degradation in the Niger Delta said that the situation requires enormous efforts to rebuild the ecosystem.
He also said Government must play a leading role in environmental restoration by ensuring that experts opinions and advice as it relates to Environment restoration are implemented.
Obafemi also called on governments to implement all regulatory laws on environmental restoration and remediation.
“We already have policies, in place, it is just for them to be implemented adequately
“We have Regulatory laws by Federal ministry of Environment, we have NOSDRA (National Oil Spill Detection and Remediation Agency) and other agencies which can set what penalties for defaulters can be’ he said.
Also speaking at the event, the University of Port Harcourt Librarian and Firector American Corner Port Harcourt Professor Helen Amasealu said it was the responsibility of all stakeholders to join hands in protecting the Earth.
“We should all join hands to preserve our environment because we cannot allow the Earth to further degenerate beyond what we have now.
‘ It is a joint responsibility of all stakeholders including the schools individuals Communities and Governments’ she noted.
It would be recalled that theme for this year’s World Environment Day was “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience,” while the slogan was “our land our future”
World Environment Day is marked 5th of every June.
This year’s event featured a lecture on Land Restoration and Environmentall Sustainability, quiz competition on environmental issues among five secondary schools and exhibition of upcycled wastes materials.