HOMEF Urges Nigerian Government to Declare Environmental Emergency and Take Action Against Ecological Crises.

In honour of World Environment Day (WED), the Federal Government is being encouraged by HOMEF, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, to immediately declare an environmental emergency.

In a statement commemorating the 2024 WED, HOMEF made the call; Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director, HOMEF, signed the statement.

2024 World Environment Day is devoted to people whose lands and livelihoods have been sacrificed to extractivism and pollution, according to HOMEF, an advocacy group focusing on ecology.

"Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience" is the theme for WED in 2024.

In contrast to being predatory and damaging to the environment, HOMEF says that this year's event encourages Nigerians to consider their obligation to nature, the environment, and all living things.

HOMEF emphasized that action must be taken to stop deforestation, biodiversity erosion, and land degradation. It further stated that, in the absence of significant climate action, humanity will continue to spiral downward due to the several crises currently afflicting the planet.

Part of the statement says, "The CSO said today is a good time for reflection and a change of direction."

According to Bassey, Nigeria can use the 2024 WED as a model for socioeconomic and environmental assessment and action.

He clarified that drought, water stress, and environmental degradation plague many parts of Africa, with Nigeria being disproportionately hit by desertification and other ecological damages.

“As we celebrate World Environment Day, we remind ourselves that our environment has been plagued with destructive activities, especially resource extraction and poor land-use changes.

Nigeria needs an emergency environmental restoration plan across board as the only way to build resilience and ensure a safe future.

This is our duty to ourselves and to future generations and immediate steps should be taken by the Nigerian government to ensure the proper clean-up of polluted lands, restoration of same and payment of compensation for damage suffered,” Bassey stated.

“We must wake up from the futile dream that the earth can be recklessly exploited without dire consequences. We need to understand that the generous gifts of Nature must be handled with gratitude and care.

We are living witnesses to the crimes committed in mining communities, oil fields and conflict zones. We must protect our biodiversity, reject species-eroding genetic modifications of all sorts, and support harmonious relationships with Nature.”

According to HOMEF, governments should make a commitment on World Environment Day to guarantee that communities are fully informed, consulted, and given their consent before designing or implementing initiatives that have an impact on the environment.

The non-governmental organization argued that it is imperative to always remember that these communities are unsupported, vulnerable, and continually dealing with the effects of the multifaceted ecological crisis. As such, they should be given protection.

“We should transformatively change our policies and choices to live sustainably in harmony with nature, with the complete understanding that the planet is our only home and that her resources are finite,” HOMEF stated.