Chief Executive Officer, Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), Ms May Ikokwu, has advocated intensified planting of trees to not only reduce soil erosion but conserve ecosystem.
Ikokwu made the call in on Thursday, July 27, 2023, in an interview in Abuja in commemoration of World Nature Conservation Day (WNCD).
The theme of World Nature Conservation Day 2023 is “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”.
Ikokwu reiterated the need for conservation of nature for healthier and happier living.
“Plant trees to reduce soil erosion, reuse and recycle. Stop indiscriminate cutting of trees just because their uses have not been identified, nature is economical and makes no mistakes.
“Volunteer for community clean-ups and use non-toxic cleaning supplies,” she said.
The culture advocate, who described nature as impeccable shield for humanity, urged all to conserve it.
According to her, developing attitudes like switching off lights when leaving a room, reducing wastage of water while washing plates or brushing the teeth, are also ways of conserving nature.
Ikokwu said that only collectively preserving nature would make the planet’s natural resources available for its inhabitants.
“According to experts, the planet’s natural resources consist of air, sunlight, soil, minerals, fuels and water.
“All of these things are found in nature and used by people. Currently, there are nearly 8 billion people that populate the Earth.
“This number is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2037. And they need to survive with natural resources that are conserved from now.”
“Currently 1.1 billion people lack water in the world, while a total of 2.7 billion face water scarcity at least one month in a year.’’ she said.
According to her, in Nigeria, many homeowners have boreholes, because there is no supply of water from the city’s water systems; that is where they exist.
“With so many homes drilling boreholes the water pressure of the aquifer is greatly reduced.
“This is a call for responsible ministries to ensure supply of water to the homes of tax payers,” she said.
Marked on July 28 every year, the Nature Conservation Day acknowledges that the foundation for a healthy society is a healthy environment.
It is also a day to increase awareness about the importance of protecting natural resources.
By Ikenna Osuoha
