Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; delivering his speech, seated (R-L) are, his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Commissioner for Environment, Dr. (Mrs.) Eniola Ajayi; Guest Speaker and Environmentalist, Dr Nnimmo Bassey; and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr. (Mrs.) Bolanle Fakunle, during World Environment Day Celebration, in Ado-Ekiti.
The Ekiti State Waste Management Authority (EKWMA) has begun the production of organic manure for farmers and other industrial use under the Waste to Wealth programme of the State Government.
The State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who made this known on Wednesday at the World Environment Day held at the Adetiloye Hall in Ado- Ekiti said the State Government is poised to turn waste to wealth through the engineering management of dump sites in the State.
Governor Fayemi added that nylon recycling plant is already in operation for massive production on commercial basis; assuring that there would be provision of more modern equipment for this purpose in order to make it more functional and create more employment opportunities for the people.
While speaking on the theme of the programme: “Think, Eat and Save”, the Governor said it was high time people started moderating their food consumption and cultivate the habit of food preservation; saying that food production can only thrive in a situation where there is preservation of such to avoid unnecessary waste that is predominant in the society today.
“The United Nations recently confirmed that over 1.3 Billion tonnes of food get wasted yearly due to lack of preservation and this has to stop. Due to the inherent wastages, ratios 1-1 in every 7 people are said to be hungry and have nothing to eat despite the huge production while an alarming number of infants die daily due to hunger. This is unfortunate”, he said.
Fayemi added that in line with the move to ensure food preservation, the State Government has linked up with the Federal Government in constructing a standard silo on Ijan road while the State Government has also made provision for cold rooms in some designated local governments to bring about the expected maintenance culture.
The Governor urged people to imbibe the habit of farming either as commercial or subsistence farmers and assured that government is ready to assist individuals and groups to become “great farmers”.
He also charged the people on sustaining the forest; saying that it is a major commonwealth of the State that must be preserved.
In her remarks, the State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Eniola Ajayi said the Governor was determined to ensure a sustainable green environment through various programmes to tackle environmental challenges and these are reflected in the recently concluded Advocacy meetings on Operation Klean Ekiti (OKE).
Ajayi who added that a major outcome of the Advocacy meeting was the decision of market women to partner with Government to institute a weekly environmental sanitation day, said this year’s World Environment Day is a call on people to avoid food waste, save money and impact on the food production processes in the State.
Also speaking at the event, the Guest Speaker who is a renowned Environmentalist, Dr Nnimmo Bassey identified land grabbing and poor rural infrastructure among others as factors responsible for food loss in Nigeria; adding that secured land tenure is important for food security.
Bassey asserted that strong rural economies will build environmental sustainability and reduce poverty; stressing that it is not right for Africa to be portrayed as a hungry continent because the hunger is politically-motivated.
At the event, the Wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin were decorated as Environmental Ambassadors.
Last modified: June 5, 2013
