Rep. Obinna Chidoka, Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Environment, said the committee would ensure that Nigerians maintain best practices to ensure ‘’a cleaner, liveable and better environment in the country.’’
He said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the committee’s visit to the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan on Saturday.
He further said the committee’s mandate was to make sure that all agencies, including those of government, adapt strictly to the laws and provisions that guaranteed sustainable environment.
“There are several bills passed against environmental degradation, pollution, tillage and others. We look forward to having cleaner environment that can withstand climate change.
“We advocate no carbon emission, we need to have good waste management; we look forward to reducing carbon emission by 30 per cent by 2030,” he said.
The chairman promised that the committee would look at the budgetary provision of FRIN and encourage the institution to bring in more expertise and innovations.
“The Executive Director is doing his best to revitalise the equipment at the institute; FRIN is well run but some work need to be done.
“Some offices visited require adequate power; we need to invest in clean energy that will power the equipment.
“Also, we will do our best to ensure that lands belonging to the institution are not encroached on.
‘’We advocate that the institution conserve its lands and that will make us live longer.”
Also speaking, the FRIN Executive Director, Dr Adesola Adepoju, stressed the need for individuals to begin to pay more attention to their particular environment.
“Everybody is majorly concerned about CBN, NNPC, forgetting that those ones can’t give life, people even build without knowing the importance of planting around them.
“Some keep cans of petrol by their windows, these things are hazardous to the environment; you can’t compare it to when you plant trees by your window, which will give fresh air and healthy life,” he said.
He assured the government that the institute would do its best to achieve its mandate.
“We are working toward reaching the target given to us; FRIN is about life because the air we breed is from trees.
“Nigeria is naturally blessed place, it depends on how we manage it; by the time we multiply the vegetation in the country, people will begin to live longer and healthier.” (NAN)