Profs Alele Williams, Hilary Inyang, join others for world environment day in Lagos

The former Vice Chancellor of University of Benin, Professor Grace Alele Williams, the Distinguished Professor Hilary Inyang and others are set for the forth coming World Environment Day forum in Lagos.

The event scheduled for June 3, 2016 would hold at the Nigerian German Business Association House, opposite Protea hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Professor Grace Alele Williams

Williams confirmed in a telephone interview that she has accepted to attend the important event as Special Guest of honour because of the importance of the environment to the entire world.

She said that the environment remains a very important resource which should be utilised and preserved for future generations.

The distinguished professor Hilary Inyang also said the event is very important, especially as many environmental assets have already been destroyed in several parts of the world, including Nigeria.

He said there was a great need to use the platform provided by this year’s world environment day to appraise the extent of damage, policies, and practices as well as adopt new ways and means of protecting and preserving the environment.

Inyang, a globally renown scholar and professional confirmed that he has already accepted to attend the event as a keynote speaker.

The professor said he would be speaking on the major themes and threats in Africa’s national, regional and continental environments.

Other speakers lined up for the programme include professor Lawrence Ezemonye, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), University of Benin, who would speak on the roles of habits, hobbies and occupations in the extinction of wildlife in Nigeria and other African nations.

While Mr. Deji Haastrup, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited is expected to speak on Conservation as Key to Protection and Preservation of Environment: Sharing the Nigerian Conservation Centre experience, Ms. Dorathy Bassey of the Department of Petroleum Resources would speak on Ecological Fund: understanding the issues, risks and opportunities.

Also, Ms. Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, executive director, Spaces for Change would speak on Understanding the Legal Issues Associated with Illegal Trade in Wildlife in Nigeria and other Developing Countries.

The organisers, International Energy Communications Limited and its collaborating organisations said other speakers and discussants have been lined up for the event.

It disclosed that the minister of state for Petroleum Rsources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and the minister of Environment have also been invited to attend as guests of honour.

The organisers disclosed that the event would attract stakeholders such as global and regional organisations, federal and state ministries, agencies and parrastatals, corporate institutions, local governments, corporate organisations, international oil companies, indigenous oil and gas companies, contractors and suppliers, financial institutions, environmentalists, consultants, scholars and students from Nigeria and overseas.

The company said it is just a few weeks away, the World Environment Day; WED would be celebrated in different parts of the world.

It said that from 1973 when the celebration started to 2015, stakeholders have adopted different themes to mark the event.

The company disclosed that the theme for this year’s celebration – illegal trade in wildlife – is very central to many African nations, including Nigeria.

It maintained that the event would create the opportunity to review the state of national, regional and global environment with particular reference to illegal trade in wildlife.

The company said that it would enable participants to understand major environmental issues that affect the environment and share ideas as well as thoughts, capable of tacking environmental and related issues.

It maintained that it would enable them to articulate and nurture environmental and other concerns of individuals, organisations and governments required to enable them play major roles as well as promote skills and technologies that can be utilised to impact positively on the environment.

It said that the event would create platform to mobilise support for environmental activities, programmes and projects in Nigeria and other developing nations and to discourage all forms of negative activities, actions and habits against the environment.

The company said the event is also aimed at setting agenda for the managing of local, national and regional environmental issues, promoting networking, partnering and alliancing required to make positive impact in the coming years and exploring funding and other options for tackling problems in the sector.

“It would also bridge the gap between the various stakeholders and journalists needed to inform and educate the public on environment and related issues.”

“The event is also aimed at projecting/propagating the contributions and plans of stakeholders through the instrumentality of the mass media and other platforms in order to encourage mass involvement of people and organisations as well as mobilising public support for the execution of measures required to further promote environmental protection and preservation in Africa”, it added.