Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

The Scientific Officer, Federal Ministry of Environment, Edo State, Mr Osagie Edomwandagbon, has urged Nigerians to plant 10 trees if they must fell one in order to conserve our environment.

He made the call while speaking on the theme “Biodiversity, all lives are precious and important, let value and protect them” to mark the 2020 world environment day in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Osagie said with the quest for industrialization and urbanization, man’s activities have impacted on its environment negatively thereby endangering the ecosystem.

‘Today’s event is a United Nations event, world environmental’s and the theme is Biodiversity. What informed the theme is because of human’s impact on his environment on lives on earth that is both marine and terrestrial earth.

‘In the quest of industrialization and urbanization, man has seriously impacted on his environment by displacing lesser lives from their natural habitats.

‘So the United Nations thought it wise to christen this year’s theme Biodiversity.

‘It is of being mindful of our actions. Not cutting down trees, limiting the use of chemicals in agriculture and if you must fell a tree, be ready to plant at least 10 so that we can have a good ecosystem,’ he said.

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He said the world environment’s day was not only meant for plants but also to bring to the awareness of Nigerians that as far as there are plants which human activities have affected negatively, also there are animals too, so man must be very mindful of how he treats his natural habitat.

‘There are sanctions for the indiscriminate felling of trees. There are some trees that are endangered and such trees, you need express permission from the ministry to fell such trees under the international protocols.

‘Today’s celebration is not only on trees, it includes other animals the same as we have endangered plants.

‘Endangered plants and animals must be conserved because they can multiply.

‘The message is try as much as possible to preserve the lives in your environment,’ he said.

He further warned against the indiscriminate building of houses just as tasked various governments to adopt the Hong Kong system of building.

‘Government should come up with good policies on housing. This indiscriminate building of houses everywhere should be stopped.

‘We can embrace like the Hong Kong system where they go for skyscrapers thereby leaving some lands for other purposes such as the conservation of our forest,’ he said.