The Imo State chapter of Nigerian Institute of Environmental Engineers has come up with suggestions of new ways and methods of making the Imo environment with emphasis on the capital conducive, safe and free for work and habitation.
As part of this year’s annual “World Environmental Day celebration” by the chapter held on June 7, at the Orient IBC/TV premises Akanchawa Road, New Owerri, the Institute issued a communiqué on the professional ways and guide lines.
The communiqué signed by Dr Mrs Ngozi Nwogu, and made available to the press reads “in order to encourage and achieve sustainable Ecosystem restoration, the government, public and private individuals, corporate bodies and development partners, should ensure consistent and constant tree-planting within and around our environment.
The government should be proactive in adequate handling and sustainable waste management within the state while NIEE at the same time commends them on the success so far achieved.
All burrow-pits within our environment should as a matter of urgency be sand-filled or converted to gardens to avoid land-slides because nature abhors vacuum.
All institutions and companies producing hazardous wastes should apply state of the art technologies in treatment of their waste and desist from indiscriminate pollution and degrading of our environment.
All the water sheds of Otamiri, Nworie, Imo, Orashi Rivers and any other water shed within the state should be recovered with immediate effect. In addition all illegal sand mining and partial dredging of the Rivers should be terminated.
All industries or agencies should be encouraged by the government to apply state of the art technologies for a sustainable recycling and handling of their wastes.
The government should also support and encourage NIEE Imo State Chapter who will in turn assist the government in Environmental Assessment, implementation, control, monitoring and evaluation of all the recovered water sheds for Ecosystem restoration.
The government should partner with NIEE Imo State chapter to achieve it’s target to plant 5 million trees in all the watersheds in the 27 LGA of Imo State within 5 years to improve and recover the Ecosystem.
Government should ensure adequate financial support for provision of seedlings to achieve the target of Ecosystem Restoration. The logistics to enhance surveillance of the environment by the government is of essence.
Through legislation, executive bill should be sent to the State House of Assembly to discourage deforestation at all cost and improve on environment obnoxious laws with strict implementation of all environment policies.
Re-enactment of all obsolete environmental laws with more eco-friendly laws with increased fines/penalties for defaulters where necessary”.
