CIF calls for Responsiveness to Environmental Needs, Holds Multi-stakeholders Dialogue, Exhibition of Green Alternative Solutions

By Ekemini Simon
As environmental challenges continue to deepen across the globe, the Clement Isong Foundation has called on all stakeholders and the entire public to be responsive to environmental needs.
The foundation made the call recently during its multi-stakeholders’ dialogue, an exhibition of green alternative solutions held in Uyo in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment to mark the World Environment Day, 2024.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of Clement Isong Foundation, Mr. Elkanah Oluyori noted that environmental degradation is deepening by the day with accompanying danger and crisis to both human and nature.

While noting that the society has moved passed need for precautionary measures as the society is already bedevilled by environmental crisis, Oluyori said if the 2024 Works Environment Day theme ” Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience”, must be achieved, stakeholders must move beyond industrial gains and urgently be responsive to environmental needs.
While thanking Action Aid Nigeria for the support to hold the event, the Executive Director charged participants to take action in the various spaces they find themselves and also cascade the information gained.
On her part, the Director of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Ini Umoh said the damage done to the earth through human activities is alarming and needs urgent solutions.
She added ” When you break an egg, you can’t put it back together. When you destroy the earth, you can’t restore it to its original state. That is why we must stop destroying it because the restoration will never be in full.
” It is true that the more we are populated, the more we need food, hence encroaching on new lands and natural resources. But we must check that we are not driven by greed. We have also seen a lot of illegal mining going on in recent times. When the government puts out policies and people don’t adhere, we will suffer at the end”.
Umoh who commended Clement Isong Foundation for its effort in pushing for Climate justice called on participants to take action in their various spaces.
Also in his remarks, a Member of the Management Committee of the Ibeno Host Communities Development Trust for Mobil Producing Nigeria, Cyril Akpan noted that Ibeno local government area is the epicenter of environmental crisis as the communities in the area have been washed away while others have been threatened by sea level rise.
Akpan who called for environmental remediation of the Ibeno said the bulk of resources from the State is taken from the area hence they should not be forgotten.
Highlight of the event was the exhibition of green alternative solutions by Mason Green Enterprise, Young African Leaders Initiative, Plasticultured and Audrey’s Craft.
Mason Green Enterprise had showcased how to turn waste into reusable products such as using waste banana stems used in the production of envelopes and sanitary pad, waste fruits used to produce leather bags, and cassava peels with rice husk used to produce animal feed.
Others were the use of waste water sachet used for quality interlocking tiles and plastic bottles used for building houses too to produce bullet probe blocks.
Young African Leaders Initiative showcased how they planted 22 economic trees which serves as a means of economic benefits and food.
Plasticultured exhibited how they utilized plastics such as water sachets to throw- pillow while Audrey’s Craft showed how they turned waste into beautiful household decor.