BY EBI NIEKETIEN
AS part of activities marking the 2025 World Environment Day, the Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Jamani Ejiro, yesterday, called on residents of the state to take concrete and sustained action towards ending plastic pollution.
Speaking during a commemorative event in Asaba, that included Road Walk from the Prof Chike Edozie Secretariat to Akpu Junction, Jamani described the celebration as a global “Earth Check-up Day,” initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to encourage individuals, communities and governments to actively work towards preserving and restoring the natural environment.
According to him, ‘’Our Earth gives us so many great things, the fresh air that we breathe, clean water we drink, beautiful places we explore and many more. However, due to our unwholesome practices, many of these great things are now degraded. Therefore, there itis the dire need to restore the environment and the World we live in.
‘’This year’s theme: “Ending Plastic Pollution”, highlights how plastics waste that has infiltrated into every corner of our world- from the ocean and the coastlines, to the food we eat. This is therefore; a wake-up call and we must act now and not just muse.
’’Plastic pollution poses both climate and health risks, with micro plastics found in human bodies. It is therefore imperative that as nations negotiate global plastics treaty, the campaign should showcase solutions such as biodegradable materials and advanced recycling systems to inspire urgent change and work towards a future world free from plastic waste’’.
Reiterating the ministry’s commitment to sustainable environmental practices, Jamani urged households to segregate their waste at source into recyclables and biodegradable materials to ease proper disposal and support recycling efforts.
He further explained that the ministry had created a conducive environment for recycling companies such as Solid Chemicals Recycling Resources Limited, the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), and ZEC Industry Company Limited to operate effectively.
He also called for more investment in the recycling sector, noting its potential to transform plastic waste into economic value for the state and the nation.
The commissioner urged Deltans to align with the M.O.R.E Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, which prioritizes environmental sustainability and encouraged residents to make every day a “mini environment day” by adopting reusable items like shopping bags, water bottles, and coffee cups in place of single-use plastics.
