Hasken Matasa: “Elected Officials, Electorates, Must Rally Round Climate Emergency,” Says Environmentalists
Hasken Matasa, a popular radio series that airs on Express 90.3fm radio Kano where issues on youth affirmative action and societal concerns regarding overall impact and development are discussed, invited environmental experts to discuss the nitty-gritty in relation to environmental sanitation, climate change, and waste management.
Speaking on the 44th episode of the series themed; Agenda and Priorities for Elected Officials and Electorates with a focus on Environmental Sanitation, Climate Change and Waste Management, Sadiq Ahmad – an environmentalist stated that environmental sanitation has to do with cleansing both the biotic (living) an abiotic (non-living) factors of the environment, as both factors exist as a web.
“When the term ‘environment’ is mentioned, it should not be limited to households, because it is much more than that, it includes all parts or elements within the biosphere which is sometimes termed ‘zone of life on earth.’
On waste management, Sadiq encouraged the authority to build more drainage while residents should avoid disposal of non-biodegradable materials in already existing ones.
“There is insufficient drainage systems across the city, the government can build more and make provision as to where people dispose waste, while residents should avoid the disposal of non-biodegradable materials in those already existing in order to manage flooding and its aftermath.”
Climate change or global warming, Sadiq said is a phenomenon occurring due to carbon dioxide emissions from industries, automobiles, cooking fuel, respiration and so forth which, covers the ozone layer and prevents the refraction of the sun’s heat thereby increasing temperature around the globe, causing famine and so on.
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To address this global emergency, the government and individuals need to make new rules or upgrade existing ones, “the government can plant trees along major roads so they can absorb the carbon dioxide (CO2) while producing oxygen (O2) in the process, laws can be made with regards to deforestation and fine can be placed on anyone who tramples the law, barn or husks from grains can be decarbonised and use as fuel for cooking, homes can switch to improved cooking stove since using cooking gas is still pretty much expensive,” he explained.
Umar Musa Alhassan, another guest on the progromme pleaded with citizens to stop waiting on the government to solve all their problems because environmental sanitation and waste management can be done at the community level.
“As far as I am concerned, we can tackle the issue of waste management and avoid flooding without relying solely on the government, communities can come together and excavate blocked drainages, contribute stipends for building more, and provide a general area where households can use for waste disposal,” Musa advised.
Musa believes that the citizenry are yet to understand the mechanism of global warming and its effect on humans, animals and the environment.
“I believe with proper sensitisation in climate change, the crisis can be mitigated, knowledge on this should be embedded especially in schools curriculum, forest guards should be well equipped, financially and otherwise. The government can also invest in recycling already used non-biodegradables, anyone that wants to cut down trees must obtain a permit from the government, trees for fuel should not be cut indiscriminately, pruning that allows further growth of the plant should be adopted.”
Musa encouraged the authority to yield the advices offered because some not only solve the inherent problem but also provide revenue for the government.
Hasken Matasa, which literally translates into “Light of the Youths”, is a weekly programme on topical youth oriented issues organised by the Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) and the Youth Society for Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Social Vices (YOSPIS), is sponsored by the Aminu Magashi Garba Foundation (AMG Foundation).
