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The Kogi Government on Tuesday urged media houses in the state to intensify support for the state’s awareness campaign on afforestation, sanitation and waste management.
The State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, made the call during an courtesy visit to the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Kogi chapter in Lokoja.
Osikoya said that the visit had become imperative because media remain a critical stakeholder to the ministry of environment as it touches the life of everybody and affect people in one way or the other.
“If human activities are the reasons we are facing a lot of challenges, then we will need to talk to human beings and not ghosts on the need to change their attitudes to life.
“One major way to achieve this is through the support of the media; and that is why media is very critical to us as a ministry.
“The government has a responsibility to provide access, framework and policies that are needed, but the people who are being led have the responsibility for good followership to obey the law.
“For us to achieve this, it is important to carry the media alongside to mobilise people across the state to maintain clean environments and active participation in the monthly environmental sanitation.
“Individual’s responsibility for sanitation and waste management is enshrined in the laws and health education, sensitisation and communication is essential and we solicit the support of NUJ as always.
“Corporate social responsibility should be encouraged and we are counting on the media for effective and correct reportage on environmental issues for far reaching results.
“This team will work to prevent revenue loss, save lives and loss of man hours through preventive choices,” Osikoya said.
The commissioner acknowledged that none of the recorded achievements in the sector would have been possible without the support of the media in the past 15 months of the present Administration but called for more support.
Osikoya noted that 2017 World Environment Day would be celebrated on June 5, with the theme: “Connecting People With Nature”.
She added that tree planting would be emphasised as the state proposed to plant one million trees through stakeholders participation.
She also said that the state monthly environmental sanitation exercise would hold on Saturday May 27, and called for community participation and ownership.
Osikoya named some achievements of the ministry as: 2016 study on state ecological challenges, sectoral and institutional strengthening and control of state forest reserves.
Others were environmental pollution monitoring, and a year sustained campaign on sustainable environment through the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, among others.
Responding, the NUJ Chairman, Mr. Adeiza Jimoh Momoh, commended the commissioner for acknowledging the roles of the media in environmental protection campaigns.
He added that efficient partnership with journalists and workshops on environmental issues will further enlighten Kogi people on the need to ensure a healthy society.
Credits: Stephen Adeleye | NAN
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