Governor, State of Osun Mr Gboyega Oyetola has called for a concerted effort By to tackle the challenges posed by the climate change and environmental degradation.
He said everybody must see this as a challenge to the survival of human race and no effort must be spared to overcome it in the interest of peace and progress of every community around the world.
Governor Oyetola made the call in Osogbo on Tuesday at the first International Conference on Engineering and Environmental Sciences held at the Osun State University Osogbo.
The conference with the theme "Advancing Technology and Environmental Burdens: Challenges and Sustainable Solutions" was organised by the Faculty of Engineering and Environmental sciences of the Osun State University.
Addressing the conference, the Governor who was represented by his Deputy Mr Benedict Alabi, an environmentalist, lamented the consequences and effects of the climate change as well as many more catastrophic events and the havoc it has caused which has now become a global reality.
Mr Oyetola commended the federal government of Nigeria for many steps it has taken in its responses to the problems
He said as a country, Nigeria has stamped her willingness to join the global community in fighting the menace of climate change with her commitment to many regional and global networks in that regard.
He said the reason why Osun has consistently escaped from the ravages of floods was because of the proactiveness of the state against such incident through expansive dredging of waterways with modern technology and providing long-lasting walls along the bank of river channels.
According to the Governor, the proactiveness as reduced the scale of the flooding and its consequent destruction of properties in the state.
He maintained that part of safeguarding and beautifying the environment was tree planting embarked upon by the state on the road medians, offices, public schools and strategic locations in order to provide enough natural media to absorb carbodioxide and emits oxygen for fresh air and to serve as shading the environment and help to confront erosion by serving as flood breakers.
He also pointed out that the step taken recently by state Government to curtail the actions of illegal miners who have been defacing the environment through illegal digging of trenches in search of the precious minerals was part of measures to protect the state against environmental problem.
Governor Oyetola commended the faculty of Engineering and Environmental sciences of the Osun State University for facilitating the conference which he described as an intellectual communion amond scholars from across the country and beyond.
He used the avenue to stress the need for people to assist the Government to minimize energy consumption and embrace renewable energy resources for their power needs as a way to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel.
"People, especially from outside the State of Osun will wonder how our State has consistently escaped from the ravages of floods. The answer is simple: the government of the state of Osun has prepared vehemently against the incident of flood in the state through expansive dredging of waterways with modern technology and providing long-lasting walls along the bank of river channels. This has reduced the scale of flooding and its consequent destruction of properties in the state. Action plan to tackle the menace is being handled by ministry of environment.
"Furthermore, our state has started implementing tree planting on the road medians, offices, public schools and strategic locations across the states.
"Government should promote cluster system of industries that will concentrate in industrial zones rather than intermingling with residents. This will enable management, waste tracking and treatment to be within the easy reach of regulators.
Importantly, we need to plug financial leakages in the system in order to have sufficient resources to fund these actions. This is a focus of the present government at federal and state levels.
"Researchers and institutions are hereby called upon to partner with government to invent machines, processes, procedures and policies that will aid the government and the public to overcome challenges of climate change and environmental degradation", Governor Oyetola added.
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