The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), in partnership with Oando Foundation, with the support of Sumitomo Chemicals, on Thursday, April 1, 2021 took environmental education and sustainability to Mushin, a community in Lagos State.
The awareness was given during the clean-up exercise carried out at the Olisa Primary School, an inclusive education unit and Methodist Primary School, Mushin and its host community.
Mrs Abidemi Balogun, Head of Environmental Education, NCF, said that the goal of the clean-up exercise was to instill attitudinal change to waste management within the schools and their host community.
Balogun noted that proper waste management should be the concern of everyone.
Alhaji Muftau Adesina, Chairman, Olisa Primary School, Inclusive Unit, expressed gratitude to Oando Foundation in spearheading the clean-up exercise.
According to him, the Oando Foundation has done a lot for Olisa Primary School in the area of environmental education and sustainability.
In her remarks, Miss Adedokun Oluwakemi, School Manager, Olisa Primary School, said that the clean-up exercise had brought a lot of awareness on the need to care for the environment.
According to her, Olisa Primary School is one of the schools adopted by the Oando Foundation with the support of Sumitomo Chemicals.
She expressed delight in the involvement of the community in ensuring that the environment was properly cleaned.
The clean-up exercise is part of the Clean Our World (COW) project, initiated by the Oando Foundation with the support of Sumitomo Chemicals, Japan and NCF as implementing partners.
The project creates awareness on environmental issues and responsible practices, empowers children and teachers in seven public primary schools and their host communities with the knowledge of plastic recycling and waste management.
It also encourages the adoption of eco-conscious lifestyles.
Prior to the Mushin clean-up exercise, Dele Ajomale Schools Complex (I–IV) Ilasamaja and Metropolitan Primary School, Orile-Iganmu as well as their host communities had earlier benefited from the project.
It is estimated that Nigeria generates over 32 million tons of solid waste annually of which more than 30 per cent is plastic.
By Fabian Ekeruche
