Ecosystem: International Student Charges Lagos Govt For Cleaner Environment

An international student from the Marquette University Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America Akor Janet has called on the Lagos state government and Lagosians to take concrete actions toward ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment in the state.

Speaking with our reporter, she sought the full participation of Lagosians in collaboration with the Clean Community Campaign (CCC) to create awareness, advocacy, and education amongst citizens on the need for environmental consciousness.

She said the call was due to the growing population and the vast economic system of the state.

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She said the Clean Community Campaign was dedicated to address the consequences of environmental degradation through periodic sensitization online and offline to increase awareness and sensitize Lagos residents on environmental pollution.

Akor enlightened Lagosians about healthy living, and proper waste disposal while encouraging them to take responsibility for the cleanliness of their own community in order to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment which will ultimately be beneficial to the well-being of all citizens, and by extension, the world at large.

According to her, the population of Lagos was growing ten times faster than that of New York and Los Angeles, noting that Nigeria’s most densely populated city had almost 25 million people and was increasing to about 600,000 every year.

“As with many cities in developing countries, many residents lack an adequate water supply and sanitation: both fundamental human rights essential for the health of all people.

“Poor access to improved water and sanitation in Nigeria remains a major contributing factor to high morbidity and mortality rates among children under five,” she said.

She stated that the use of contaminated drinking water and poor sanitary conditions result in increased vulnerability to water-borne diseases, including diarrhea which leads to the deaths of more than 70,000 children under five annually.

“Nigeria is already experiencing the effects of climate change. There are variable and extreme weather events: increased temperatures, variable precipitation, floods, droughts, desertification, land degradation, and loss of biodiversity.

“These changing weather patterns are already disrupting livelihoods, leading to even deeper impoverishment and conflicts over the dwindling resources,” she added