The future of our state and Nigeria is bright with young minds like this coming out to rub minds. There is a treasure trove of young minds in Oyo State that we must not do away with.
These were the remarks of the Oyo State Commissioner for Environment and Water, Mr Kehinde Ayoola at an event tagged “Green Hangout” organised by Eleven Eleven Twelve Foundation in Ibadan on Saturday.
The commissioner made the remarks in reaction to the large turnout of young people at the event who gave intellectually engaging discussions and agenuine interest in the environment sector.
Speaking further on his engagement with the youth, he said, “We will start to engage them with a view to implementing some of the things they put forth here that will be good for our society.”
Ayoola also addressed questions on the environment sector in Oyo State. Regarding the recurring issue of waste collection and disposal confronting the state, the commissioner said that the state’s new solid waste management will address the challenge.
“On the issue of waste, we have a new solid waste management system in place already, and it will achieve three things. One, it will achieve efficiency of collection. Two, it will also achieve efficiency of disposal. Three, it will lead to wealth from waste, that is to create jobs and business opportunities for our people.”
On open defecation in Oyo State, Ayoola remarked that “it is a terrible ill that we want to eradicate.
“The ministry is taking steps to engage with communities and some private partners. We have been in talks with the Department of Lands and Town planning to ensure that there are stringent rules and that they are applied in the manner they approve building plans. Any building plan for commercial or residential buildings that do not have toilets should not and will not get approval.”
On the side of the people, he said “there is a lot of advocacy going on that open defecation is not the way to go.”
He added that “Also, at the ministry, we are stepping up our water provision system. The African Development Bank assisted water reticulation programme will make water available to people in their homes, offices and so on, is 80 per cent completed. By April it will be done.”
He said the Ministry of Environment has taken stock of boreholes all over the state in all the local governments with a view to servicing those that need it and helping the efficiency of those that are still functioning.
The commissioner added that there will be regulations to borehole licensing this year due to recommendations from the relevant government agency.
In his remarks, founder of Eleven Eleven Twelve Foundation, Mr Adetunji Lam-Adesina, said that this was the fourth edition of the Green Hangout which was formerly called Environmental enthusiast hangout.
As the name suggests, the event was built to provide a networking platform for environmentalists to gain leverage and find solutions to pressing environment issues as well as spark interest in environmental advocacy, Lam-Adesina explained.
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