Owerri – The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), has called on the Federal Government to factor environment as an indispensable variable in policy formulation for meaningful and lasting development.
The National President of the NES, Mr Olu Wai-Ogosu, made the call at the opening ceremony of the 25th Annual National conference of the NES held in Owerri on Thursday.
Wai-Ogosu said this was necessary as the environment needed to be placed on the front burner and attention drawn to prevalent and emerging environmental issues of local, national and global dimensions.
He noted that the theme of the conference: Sustainable Development : Unlocking the Core-Values of Environmental Safety, was apt, given the fact that globally, environmental safety and security were becoming issues of public discussion.
Wai-Ogosu said that during his tenure, the society sponsored a Bill – the Institute of Environmental Professionals of Nigeria (IEPN) – to improve the environment and give the society a boost but added that it was temporary halted.
He urged the incoming executive to pursue it.
Dr Lawrence Anukam, Director General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), and lead guest lecturer, said sustainable development “is that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the future needs.
He said it also meant improvement in the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems.
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Anukam said it was development based on the principle of inter-generational, inter-species and inter-group equity.
Dr Modechiah Ladam, Director of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), solicited government policy based on adequate environmental consideration in all spheres of life.
Represented by the Zonal Operations Controller, DPR, Owerri, Mr Ndy Akpamgbo, Ladam called for the adoption of environmental best practices by all.
NAN reports that part of the two-day event was the launching of the NES Environmental Journal. (NAN)