The Chairman of the Rivers State House Assembly Committee on Education, Hon. Christian Ahiakwo, has stressed the need for planting of trees to protect, sustain and restore the environment.
He said to actually preserve and restore the ecosystem, planting of trees is the surest way to go.
Ahiakwo gave the indication during an advocacy event organised by the Association of Environmental Lawyers of Nigeria (AELN) in conjunction with Environmental Law Advocates of Rivers State University Chapter in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, as part of activities to mark this year’s World Environment Day.
He said the theme of this year’s World Environment Day celebration, ‘Our Only Earth’ was apt, and condemned in strong terms what he described as environmental apathy often displayed by Nigerians exemplified in the attendance at the occasion, which he noted is an indication that the issue of environmental management is not taken seriously.
Ahiakwo, also former Chairman of the House Committee on Environment said whereas there is only one earth, mankind still behave as if there is more than one earth, and stressed the need for people to actually work towards restoring the ecosystem.
“We have only one earth. It is our duty to restore it,” he said.
The lawmaker, who was the chairman of the occasion, further narrated a story about a community in India, whose inhabitants took relish in hunting and killing birds for food, and what happened to it when there were no longer birds in the community.
According to him, this resulted in the explosion of the population of anthropods like grasshoppers and other insects in the community, because it had actually distorted a major equilibrium in the society.
The message to take home from this, he said is that “if we are not careful with what we do with the environment, the consequences will be gave.”
Ahiakwo equally emphasised the need for all environmental laws and conventions to be enforced and implemented, saying, the process of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) must also start and end, as recommended by environmental experts before any major projects are executed.
“If we put our efforts together, we can restore the environment. Tree planting is the way to go. Let us continue to plant trees,” he said.
In his opening remarks, the National President of the Association of Environmental Lawyers of Nigeria (AELN), Prof. Samuel Dike noted that people do despicable things to degrade the environment, and solicited the support of corporate organisations, government and well-meaning Nigerians to enable the association to intensify its advocacy campaigns on the environment.
The Professor of Energy and Environmental Law at the Rivers State University stressed the need for the conservation of the gifts of nature with a view to sustaining the earth, adding that the association had recently distributed waste bins to the university as a way of keeping its environment clean.
He said the association was committed to engaging in research and promoting clinical digital waste management technology as well as driving its other activities to make the earth a better place for all.
On his part, the Dean of the Faculty of Law in the Rivers State University, Prof. Chris Wigwe (SAN), simply defined the environment as where people stay, live and do business, and stressed the need for the environment to be kept clean at all times.
“Do not diminish the environment by your own actions. Do not deplete it by littering the streets. We care charged with the responsibility of protecting the environment”, he intoned.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Chinedu Mmom poignantly took the participants through the gamut of all that constitutes the environment and the need to preserve and conserve it through our conduct and actions.
Prof Mmom, the Dean of the faculty of Social Sciences in the University of Port Harcourt, while going down memory lane, highlighted the importance of the World Environment Day celebration which began in 1972 in Stockholm, Sweden.
He said all hands must be on deck to salvage the environment from the vagaries of degradation and pollution.
Also speaking, the President of Environmental Law Advocates of Rivers State University Chapter, Mr. Onyeso Kelechi ThankGod said students of the organisation had taken steps to mitigate the environmental problems in the university and urged all and sundry to take steps to protect the environment.
AELN presented an award to the Chief Whip of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Evans Bipi for his immense support to the association.
The high point of the event was the unveiling and launch of an endowment fund for the Best Graduating Environmental Law Student; Cleanest Faculty in Rivers State University; and Research Grant on International Best Practices for Proper Waste Management.
The discussants at the event were Dr (Mrs) Rose Tane; Dr. Tony Francis and Dr William Iyama.

By: Donatus Ebi