Prof. Abdullahi AbdulRahman of the Department of Plant Anatomy and Taxonomy in the University of Ilorin, has warned of environmental degradation caused by pollutants from atomic chemicals.
AbdulRahman who gave the warnings during an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, cautioned that it would take decades to wipe out pollutants released to the environment through atomic chemicals.
He lamented at the posture of the United Nations and world powers to the wars around the globe.
The expert who teaches in the Faculty of Life Science of the university, warned of a possibility of looming famine across the globe due to the war in Gaza.
According to him, the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Palestine and Israel has affected plants and waters and destroyed forests.
AbdulRahman called for harmonious living among the people around the globe.
He described the wars as pandemic to the world peace like Covid-19 and Ebola, whose aftermath would result to health challenges to human beings and the environment as wildlife would also be affected.
Similarly, the don explained that to minimise impact of pollution from manufacturers, there was need to faithfully implement environmental laws in Nigeria.
The don, however, called on the government to encourage tree planting in various communities to avert desertification.
He stressed the need to embark on afforestation programme like the Green Reyahd project in Saudi Arabia.
The expert also tasked government to subsidise or make the use of kerosene free, to discourage people from using charcoal and firewood.
He preached sincerity of purpose among security agencies in performing their duties just and admonished the people to be security conscious and report any strange movement in their environments to appropriate authorities.
The don, therefore, charged President Bola Tinubu-led government to resuscitate the nation’s refineries with a view to reducing the lingering hardship in the country. (NAN)
