Only 7% of Nigeria’s forest cover remains amidst depletion, and down from 40% at independence, say Philip Asiodu, president, Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF).
He stressed the need for the entrenchment of environmental education at all levels to stop all forms of "crimes against nature".
Asiodu, an elder statesman, stated this at the annual walk for nature with the theme: “Cleaner Lagos: Unlocking nature’s tourism potentials” jointly organized by the NCF and Lagos State Government.
He said, “Environmental education needs to be promoted at all levels and even entrenched in schools’ curriculum to enable us emphasize that life is nature and nature is life in all aspects of human life.
“The encroachment of man on wildlife habitat, deforestation, wildlife trafficking, mutilation of animal species, among other crimes against nature would not have been so blatant if environmental education had been taken seriously at all levels in Nigeria”.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode represented by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare said the state was determined to promote tourism development through nature conservation and environmental management.
Ambode said, “Lagos State has great advantages in nature –based tourism and ecotourism activities. It is our goal to encourage tourism by taking full account of the current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the host communities and industry through optimal use of environment resources.
“The primary aim of our administration with regards to create an enabling environment for the growth of the sector and maximize the benefits of tourism for the development of our state by influencing patterns of visitor’s flows and behaviour”.
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