A non-governmental organisation, the Safe Space Development Foundation (SHADEF), has called for greater collective action to promote a cleaner and healthier environment.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Evelyn Eyo, made the appeal on Thursday during the prize-giving ceremony marking the end of the SHADEF Campus Tour Essay Competition, an initiative designed to encourage discussions on environmental issues among university students.
Eyo linked recent flooding in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital and other parts of Nigeria to years of environmental neglect, adding that competition was created to raise awareness and encourage young people to become more actively involved in environmental advocacy.
“We want to create greater awareness about the need to protect our environment,” she told journalists.
“This essay competition was organised to stimulate conversations on environmental issues.
“We want young people to ask questions about what is happening in their immediate surroundings and to become part of the solution.”
According to her, the environmental campaign at the University of Uyo attracted a large number of participants and helped to broaden discussions on environmental sustainability.
“How can we protect the environment more effectively? What can we do to make it safer for ourselves and future generations? These are the questions we want young people to ask,” she said.
Eyo also blamed poor waste management practices and the widespread use of fossil fuels for many environmental challenges facing the country.
“The burning of fossil fuels remains one of the leading causes of climate change. It affects ecosystems and poses serious risks to both human health and the environment.
“These factors contribute significantly to flooding and other environmental problems,” she said.
She urged students to continue promoting environmental awareness and to serve as ambassadors for environmental sustainability within their communities.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, the overall winner of the competition, Adagbabiriowei Biberiebi Lilian, thanked the organisation and pledged to continue promoting environmental awareness beyond the competition.
Lilian, a first-year student in the Department of English and Literary Studies at the University of Uyo, noted that the exercise had broadened her understanding of environmental issues.
“The competition has opened my eyes to many environmental challenges that I never knew existed,” she said.
The event was concluded with the presentation of cash prizes of ₦50,000 to the winners, while all participants received consolation prizes.
