Speaking at the opening ceremony of a three-day Symposium and Nature excursion held at the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Building, Olowopopo, Ikeja, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Gaji, highlighted the sustainable development plan of the Lagos State Government with emphasis on youth engagement through effective participation for a sustainable lifestyle.

Gaji, represented at the event by the Director, Environmental Assessment Department, Dr. Olasunkanmi Sojinu, said ensuring a sustainable lifestyle requires the commitment of everyone to Unlearn, Learn and Relearn attitudes on effective greener initiatives.

He explained that the establishment of the Environmental Bees Club was to engender a brilliant collaborative initiative aimed at tackling environmental challenges that promote a sustainable environment.

The Permanent Secretary said the environment has issues caused by human actions that bring about changes in the natural world with great consequences affecting human existence.

He charged the Environmental Bees Club handlers to ensure that students are exposed to practical knowledge in matters relating to global environmental issues and best environmental practices employed by international communities to reduce the effects of environmental degradation.

Gaji revealed that the three-day Symposium and Nature Conservation Excursion will feature visitations to agencies under the purview of the Ministry, as well as private entities collaborating to achieve environmental sustainability.

In her presentation, the Chief Executive Director of FABE International, Mrs. Temitope Okunnu, speaking on Waste Recycling and Upcycling project development for economic empowerment in schools, said a lot could be manufactured from non-biodegradable materials such as Plastics, Nylon and Used Tyres through recycling, upcycling as well as reusing.

Mrs. Aisha Titilola Kareem-Arnold, in the second presentation, dwelt on Climate Change Action and Youth Engagement for Sustainable Lifestyle, focusing on climate change as it affects humanity.

While maintaining that every individual needs to be engaged in the climate action plan, she pointed out the need to do things differently by disengaging from the use of fossil fuels and endeavour to reduce the amount of carbon emission released into the atmosphere.

Teachers participating in the Symposium and Nature Conservation Excursion, drawn from both private and public schools, will be visiting Lagos Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Public Affairs Officer, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Mrs. Bola Ajao, on Friday.

The agencies included LASEPA, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, the Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency, and the Lagos State Parks and Gardens.

Ajao said that the agencies were ready to engage the youths on environmental actions that would further expose them to the vulnerability of the environment, unfriendly environmental practices, and the need to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

She said that the heads of the agencies organised an advocacy talk and quiz competition for students of some state public schools, to test their knowledge on basic environmental topics.

According to her, the event is to felicitate with the oldest state-owned university, Lagos State University, on the occasion of its 25th convocation ceremony.

She said that it was to commemorate the achievement of the citadel of learning with environmental friendly awareness programme, to reawaken the consciousness of taking actions against pollution.

Ajao said that various programmes had been embarked upon by the state government, for the purpose of directing the attention of school pupils to environmental sustainability at a tender age.

“In recognition of the importance of our youths as agents of change, who need to urgently show commitment through their lifestyles and actions to tackle global environmental problems.

“This programme was collectively put together as a single voice, confronted with multiple common challenges attributed to unfriendly practices, that if not addressed, may lead to natural disasters.

“Young people constitute a large part of the world’s population, hence, the need to inculcate good habits in them and imbibe the culture of responsibilities and wise use of the environment.

“Therefore, the move is to reaffirm our collective responsibility to environmental education and youth participation in environmental protection,” she said.

The quiz competition which had students drawn from various schools around LASU/Ojo and its environs produced four winners, which included Happiness Omijie, Bridget Azurundu, Divine Okafor, all of Iba Housing Estate, and Esther Ayomide of Army Cantonment Girls School.

The winners were presented with gifts and cash prizes, while other participants were rewarded with eco-friendly products such as reusable bags, multiple use bottles, plant seedlings and degradable refuse bags.

Ajao said that the choice of the gift was symbolic and in support of the recycling approach, as well as the circular economy drive of the government.