- Dr Iziaq Salako urges Nigerians to adopt greener habits, such as using renewable energy, planting trees, and reducing waste.
- Salako stresses the need for collaboration among residents, community leaders, and authorities to transform Chika into a model for environmental sanitation.
- Salako stresses the need for collaboration among residents, community leaders, and authorities to transform Chika into a model for environmental sanitation.
Dr Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Environment, urged Nigerians to adopt greener and cleaner habits at the 2024 National Environmental Sanitation Day in Chika, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja community. The event, “Environmental Sanitation in the Era of Climate Change: Go Green, Stay Clean,” stressed the need for eco-friendly actions.
“Cleanliness should go beyond a slogan,” Salako said. “It’s about self-respect, community care, and environmental stewardship. This includes personal hygiene, maintaining clean homes and public spaces, and managing waste responsibly.”
Salako emphasised the importance of safe sanitation practices and urged effective waste management to prevent environmental pollution. “Going greener means adopting eco-friendly practices,” he noted. These involve using renewable energy, planting trees, and reducing waste.
Salako set a goal to transform Chika into a model community for sanitation. “Our presence here today underscores this agenda,” he stated. “We want Chika to inspire positive changes in other communities.”
He called for active participation from all stakeholders. “We need residents, community leaders, local authorities, NGOs, CSOs, FCDA agencies, and federal ministries to collaborate,” Salako urged. “Together, we can enhance community cleanliness and safety.”
Dr. Alexander Chimbaru, representing the World Health Organization, also addressed the gathering. He encouraged adopting environmentally friendly practices like recycling and composting. “We should support renewable energy and tree planting,” he said. “These actions help combat climate change.”
Chimbaru stressed the health impacts of climate change. “It affects health through illnesses, extreme weather, and food system disruptions,” he stated. “It’s time Nigeria promotes actions to reduce carbon emissions and improve health.”
The event underscored the crucial role of collective effort. “We can only achieve these goals with maximum participation,” Salako concluded. “Every stakeholder must play their part to create a cleaner, safer environment.”
The 2024 National Environmental Sanitation Day aimed to inspire community-led environmental stewardship and call on Nigerians to adopt sustainable practices for a healthier future. The message was clear: clean and green actions are essential in the fight against climate change.