Editor
By Fatima Saka
Lagos state government and Sterling One Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action at a clean-up exercise organized by the foundation at Apha Beach, in Lagos State.
Newsmen reports that the foundation held its National Clean Up Day on Saturday nationwide in 27 Locations including Lagos and the six Geopolitical Zones in the country.
Staff, partners and volunteers of the foundation carried out the exercise simultaneously across the locations nationwide.
Speaking at Apha Beach, one of the locations, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, expressed gratitude to the foundation for being consistent in their advocacy for environmental sustainability.
Represented by the Special Adviser to the governor on environment, Mr Olakunle Rotimi- Akhodu, Wahab said that the clean up of the beach by the foundation was impacting the environment positively.
According to him the ministry is glad to associate with the foundation because of its stand on the sustenance of the environment and climate action.
The commissioner noted that a few months ago, the beach overflowed it’s banks, indicating the impact and reality of climate change and global warming.
He enjoined the local community and indeed Lagos residents to cultivate the habit of taking care of the environment for the sake of posterity.
He explained that the state government has zero tolerance for environmental infractions in the state.
He added that since he assumed office as commissioner, the ministry made sure that in tackling the challenge of flood in the state, drainages and canals were opened up to perform their functions.
Wahab warned that any building built on drainages or carnals would be pulled down.
He said that ridden the beach of plastic wastes and all other forms of wastes resonates with what the ministry of environment stand for.
He added that the ministry was open to collaborate with the foundation to build a a better environment for Lagos residents.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Olapeju Ibekwe, expressed gratitude to its partners who came out in their numbers and early enough to partake in the exercise.
Ibekwe said that one of the focus thematic areas for the foundation is climate action, adding that for Sterling bank, one of their focus areas for business strategy is renewable energy.
She said that the bank has prioritised the environment since 2007, ‘so what you are seeing today is not something that started today even before we started our working carrier this project has commenced and and it’s not stopping anytime soon.’
She said that caring for the environment meant caring for the next generation.
“This is not just a cleaning exercise, rather it is a wake up call for all us to learn how to manage our waste properly,” Ibekwe said.
She noted that if plastic waste was not tackled, there would be more plastic in the ocean than fishes.
She expressed gratitude to the Lagos state government for being a leader in waste management across the country.
“There is so much more to be done by the state.
‘My dream for Lagos state is to be a state free from plastics on the street.
“Let all of us join Lagos to make this happen,” Ibekwe said.
She expressed gratitude to Sterling bank for always been there to support the activities of the foundation.
In his remarks, Mr Dele Faseemo, Group Head, Renewable Energy, Sterling Bank Plc said that the foundation has a practice of cleaning up beaches and adopting them sustainably so that after the foundation had gone, the local community would continue to keep the beaches clean.
He enjoined residents of the local community to cultivate attitudinal change to waste disposal.
Newsmen reports that the national clean up exercise marked the end of the exercise for 2023.
