Etisalat restates commitment to environment protection

ETISALAT Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to environmental conservation in Nigeria by continually doing its business responsibly and in conformity with international best practices on environmental standards.

Head, Environmental Compliance & Public Relations, Etisalat Nigeria, Oluseyi Osunsedo, revealed this at an event organised by the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) in partnership with the United Nations Information Centre and Etisalat Nigeria to commemorate the 2016 World Environment Day, in Lagos.

While underlining the importance of a healthy ecosystem to environmental sustainability and socio-economic growth, Osunsedo said Etisalat would continue to promote responsible environmental conservation in and around all its operations across Nigeria.

“At Etisalat Nigeria, we are passionate about the environment. This is why we have environment as part of our three core CSR platforms, the other two being education and health. We take environmental protection seriously because we are aware of the negative impacts that can occur from improper management of natural resources and its effect on the environment”, she said.

Osunsedo further assured the gathering that Etisalat would continue to take significant and positive steps in ensuring protection of the environment in which it operates, whilst pledging its support for initiatives such as the NES awareness program to ensure that majority of Nigerians understand the messages and call to action because everyone regardless of who they are, have a role to play in sustainable development.

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Director, Environment Services, Lagos State Ministry of The Environment, Dr. Iyabo Philips, who represented the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, commended Etisalat Nigeria and other partners for their collaborative effort on environmental sustainability. She said, “Environmental conservation is our collective responsibility. Our existence depends on how well we can keep our environment because we are all connected: human, plant and the earth.”

Chairman, Nigerian Environmental Society, Dr. Eugene Itua, while stating that Nigeria was blessed with a very rich wildlife, however decried the harmful practices that have put wildlife into near extinction. “We must not allow greed and personal gains push us to decimate and destroy the earth’s irreplaceable treasure. As the dominant specie, it is our responsibility to take care of the earth”, he said.

National Information Officer, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, Oluseyi Soremekun, said ‘Go Wild for Life’, the theme for year’s World Environment Day, was informed by the need to raise awareness on the wider implications of increase in illegal trade in wildlife. “Individuals involved are motivated solely by short-term gains at the expense of long-term benefits to communities and habitats.”