Governor Godwin Obaseki shared his remarks at the World Environment Day celebration in Edo. Edo State Head of Service, Anthony Osas Okungbowa, represented him at the event. He remarked, “As we mark World Environment Day today, we have another opportunity to review actions and efforts taken over the years to protect the environment, build alliances, deploy technological innovations and ensure that we leave this world better for unborn generations”.
Obaseki-led administration works relentlessly through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability and Waste Management Board to eradicate plastic pollution. Every Edo resident needs to support the Government to achieve this laudable objective. They are making efforts to eradicating death threats to human lives and making Edo great again.
The health status of any person, people, State, or Country is a prerequisite for building greatness. Further, it is relative to their level of productivity. Just as the popular saying goes, “Health is Wealth”, it goes without saying that a healthy man is wealthy also. In the past, Africans and Nigerians employed local means of packaging consumables via earthen/clay pots, locally made cups, spoons, and even plates. This has changed greatly due to the advent of technology and the adoption of other modern or foreign means of packaging food, water, soda and other products using plastics instead.
Plastics are substances that contain thousands of toxic chemicals. The ubiquitous nature of their use has given rise to environmental pollution. Accordingly the hazardous effect is not only an environmental issue but also a health issue. Research shows that approximately the world produces 380 million tons of plastic waste every year globally. Due to indiscriminate disposal, 8 million tons of these plastics end up in the Ocean. This, in turn, contaminates sea animals.
Accordingly, when humans consume these sea animals, it can lead to prostrate or breast cancer. Other issues include infertility/sterility, obesity, diabetes, thyroid problems, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Nigeria generates about 3 million tons of plastic waste annually. The country is one of the world’s highest producers of plastic waste.
Therefore, finding a solution to this problem has become urgent. It is time for all Edo indigenes and residents to take their health more seriously and ensure that we prioritise our health at all costs. We can do thos by supporting the move of the Edo State Government.
The Governor is committed to changing the narrative. Accordingly, he provided a platform for some key stakeholders to speak on this burning issue. During a panel session, Professor Omonigho Stella, the Director of Environment & Beautification at the University of Benin, stated that one of the ways to check plastic pollution is to ensure that wastes are properly segregated at source, as this will ensure that they can properly channel plastic waste for recycling.
Similarly, Professor Emmanuel Ukpebor, an environmental expert and former Head of the Chemistry Department at the University of Benin, said, “A healthy Man is a Man that is wealthy first. Secondly, you are as healthy as the food you eat, and the environment you live in”. He added, “Cancer level is increasing in Nigeria because of the high level of pollutants in our environment from the indiscriminate burning of refuse. Regarding life quality and quantity, Nigeria is the third lowest globally”.
The emphasis during the panel session was on measures to check the negative impact of plastic waste, including recycling, repackaging with non-plastic materials for food and drinks, and adopting other health-friendly alternatives or traditional methods of food packaging henceforth.
