In commemoration of this year’s World Clean Up Day Celebration, the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) and Barr Ibrahim Kashim Foundation (BIK) conducted a cleaning exercise in some communities in the metropolis.
The two organisations also in collaboration with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) organised a panel of discussion where experts discussed about key Environmental and Health related issues featuring other critical stakeholders.
Earlier before the discussion panel which took place at the Conference Room of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, the team conducted a cleaning exercise at Bakaro, where the communal dumping waste of the area was evacuated.
While at Bakaro for the cleaning exercise, offficials of BASEPA, BIK Foundation and the key invited partners went round the community, from one house to another, informing people about the world clean up day celebration, sensitizing them on the importance of cleanliness for the improvement of their health and that of the general public.
While declaring the discussion panel opened, the Director General of the Agency Dr Ibrahim Kabir said that he was highly impressed when he received officials of BIK Foundation for collaboration to celebrate the day which he said is an indication that “we are getting things right”.
He also said that, “when Youths organisations began to understand the importance of environment and even trying to celebrate it in a colourful manner and commended them for finding the environmental sector worthy of celebration and worthy of participation”
While welcoming the invited guests, the Director General said that he was impressed by the presence of officials from EHORECON, NAGGW, OXFAM, MEDA, other partners included, the WEAID initiative, DanGarba and Haidar Care Foundations and the host, the Nigerian Union of Journalists despite their tight schedules.
In his opening remarks, the CEO of Barr Ibrahim Kashim Foundation ably represented by one of the Non Executive Directors of the Foundation, Rasul Muhammad Kashim said that, the Foundation is a community based organisation that works towards the multi-sectoral improvement of the lives, well being and living standards of the people.
He added that it is focusing on youths and women empowerment and the inclusion of people with disabilities, inclusive health, advocacy and community engagement to achieve sustainable results, critical decisions making process and deepened relationship and trust between government, organisations and communities.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Rasul Kashim said, waste generation has become inevitable and to address the issue, there is need for coming together of relevant partners and stakeholders to ensure that the environment is clean for the betterment of all.
He added that hence the decision of KIB Foundation to celebrate the world clean up day with the target to sensitise the general public on the importance of cleanliness and saying that, the foundation will extend it activities to every parts of the state.
Other members of the discussion which included federal and State government Agencies, local and international organizations and the invited participants commended the collaborative drive of the Director General of BASEPA and pledged to continue working together towards achieving sustainable development.
The panel discussion was anchored between the Director General of the Agency, Dr Ibrahim Kabir, who is an Environmentalist and Dr Hassan Shuaibu Musa, a Medical Practitioner, where they answered questions on the issues of environment and their direct links to health and wellbeing of the general public.
As an expert and professional environmentalist, Dr Kabir discussed extensively on the definition of waste, sources of wastes, classification, proper management as well as waste potentials in Waste that create empowerment opportunities and income generation to the teeming unemployed population among others.
The Director General also used the occasion to highlight some of his Agency’s achievement in waste management through the Municipal Solid Waste Management Framework(MSWMF) developed by the Agency, which he said contributed a lot in keeping the state clean and healthy.
Cancellation of unsuitable collection centers, Construction of model ones, introduction of service Providers, banning the dumping of refuse by the roadside and the introduction of street waste vendors and the recent guidelines developed for managing faecal sludge in the state all form part of the Municipal Solid Waste Management Framework.
On the other hand, Dr Hassan Shuaibu Musa discussed about the relationship between waste, especially clinical Waste which are classified as infectious, hazardous and the most hazardous wastes, which he said can spread a lot diseases and illnesses.
As a medical practitioner, Dr Hassan discussed about diseases that directly related to environment which include cholerae, Malaria, typhoid fever among others and called for stronger partnership to ensure that our health facilities are patients friendly to ensure good health for all.
Other issues discussed during the interaction are all geared towards increasing awareness on the importance of giving back to the environment through very many ideas and initiatives.
World Clean-up Day is held annually, aims to raise awareness of the mismanaged waste crisis, by mobilising all spheres of society to participate in clean-up actions.
and then