World Environment Day: Ogwah Advocates For Sustainable Environment 

By Iteveh Ekpokpobe

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and Isoko North State Constituency hopeful in the 2019 General election into the Delta State House of Assembly has called for a sustainable environment practice as the world celebrates World Environment Day.

Hon. Mike Ogwah while addressing journalist in his country home, Owhelogbo, noted that the theme of this year ‘Beating Plastic Pollution’ is very apt as the menace of plastic waste has negatively impacted on both land and aquatic life.

The Assembly hopeful stated that Nigeria as a nation must begin to develop policies around this environmental challenge.

He noted that the United Nations estimates that 13 million tones of plastic waste leak into the ocean annually harming biodiversity, economies and, potentially, our own health. “The world urgently needs to rethink the way we manufacture, use and manage plastic.”

While advocating for the rejection of single plastic use product, he noted that Delta State and Isoko in particular will not be spared from the danger of this menace since the major source of livelihood of the ordinary people centres around farming and fishing.

He assured his constituents that when elected, will sponsor legislation towards sustainable environment using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 14 and 15 targets as benchmark.

He said that a robust policy and legal regime around waste to wealth will be important in getting used plastics out of our communities and water ways.

According to him, environmental development is an area that has a lot of job opportunities trapped therein and with a waste to wealth initiatives, the SMART Agenda of the Okowa’s administration would have received more vent and impetus.

He used the opportunity to congratulate the Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration on the occasion of the third year anniversary of the administration, noting that the Governor has shown great initiatives in the area of environment through massive infrastructural development in fighting the menace of flooding and related environmental challenges even as called on the people of Isoko North and the entire state to support the second term aspiration of the Governor.

The United Nations has set aside June 5 every year for the celebration of the environment Each World Environment Day. The event is organized around a theme that focuses attention on a particularly pressing environmental concern.