Senate calls for inclusion of Environmental Studies in school curriculum

It mandated the Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies to create a sustainable and viable framework to counter climate change and its effects.

The upper chamber also called on its Committee on Environment to investigate the Great Green Wall programme and the implementation of the Ogoni Clean-up Programme.

This followed a motion on “World Environment Day 2017” sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, at Tuesday’s plenary.

She said that with Nigeria’s environmental issues such as gully erosion, desertification, environmental degradation and illegal mining, there was the need for proactive action at addressing environmental degradation.

According to Tinubu, environmental issues have widespread effects on the economy, health and social wellbeing of the people.

“Women and children are the most vulnerable groups and tend to suffer adverse effects of these issues.

“In spite of the recent Ogoni Clean-up campaign, it does not appear that work has commenced.

“The environment is being held in trust of our unborn generations and thus, must be kept in faultless condition,’’ she said.

Supporting the motion, Sen. Magnus Abe (APC-Rivers) said that the forest and rivers that existed in the Niger Delta region had gone dry.

“Whether we like it or not, the environment is changing and how we relate to the environment has to change.

“We and the government have not realised the importance of the environment; everywhere we look at, we can see the mismanagement of the environment in everything we do,’’ he said.

Abe said that there was need to look back and ahead to review the things Nigerians had been doing as regards to the environment.

“The Ogoni Clean-up programme that was launched with fanfare, not much is going on at this time. That is a star project for Nigeria as far as reclaiming the environment is concerned,’’ he said.

In his contribution, Sen. Robert Borrofice (APC-Ondo) said that the emission of greenhouse gas had led to climate change that had affected the rise in sea level and erosion.

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“It is important we pay attention to the issue of environment.

“The Niger Delta which constitutes the economic zone of this country is being adversely affected by environmental issues. We must have an institutional framework to address the issue of environment,’’ he said.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, called on Nigerians to play their roles in checkmating environmental issues.