A renowned Scholar of Environmental
Management and Toxicology, Professor Toyin Arowolo has called on the Federal
Government to ban the use of plastic bags in the country, in order to improve
public health and ensure safe environment. Professor Arowolo made the call
while delivering the 55th Inaugural Lecture of Federal University of
Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) entitled: Environmental Degradation: Mortgaging
Our Future for Today’s Gain, at the institution’s Ceremonial Building, Alabata
Road, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Professor Arowolo Arowolo, a Professor of
Analytical and Environmental Chemistry had noted with dismay that many of the
man-made threats to our environment were fuelled by ignorance and non-challant
attitude of the populace. He lamented that stakeholders have not educated
Nigerians enough to the point of convincing them to turn away from bad
environmental management practices such as illegal felling of trees,
indiscriminate lighting of fire and poor refuse disposal habits, among others.
He therefore called on government, to as a
matter of urgency consider banning the use of plastic bags in the country, in
order to drastically improve solid and liquid waste management, especially
municipal waste in the country. Arowolo reinforced his call for the banning of
the use of plastic bags in the country, disclosing that over 40 countries in
the world have banned, partly banned or taxed single use plastic bags.
According to him, the countries include China, France, Rwanda, Kenya and Italy,
urging the Federal Government to take a cue from the countries by following
suit with the banning of the use of plastic bags.
Besides, Arowolo also charged the federal and
state governments to ensure adequate funding for the management and protection
of the environment, as well as judicious application of the funds allocated and
secured from donor agencies. He canvassed the need for federal and state
governments to ensure that the country’s infrastructure meets the modern- day
needs and beyond, in respect of uninterrupted power supply, potable water for
all and effective railway system, among other recommendations.
Professor Arowolo also called on religious
leaders to set aside a day to sensitize faithfuls on the need to ensure a clean
and safe environment. On his contributions to knowledge, Arowolo who has 34
years experience in the academia informed that the main focus of his
research had been in the application of Analytical Chemistry in Environmental
Management and Toxicology.
The former Dean of College of Environmental
Resources Management (COLERM) further said: “I have studied the levels, forms,
mobility and fate of essential trace elements, potentially toxic elements and
rare earth elements in soils, sediments, air, water, plants, food and
biological samples.” Professor Arowolo, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Academic) expressed gratitude to God and stakeholders for the privilege of
delivering the inaugural lecture, recalling that he joined the university as a
pioneer staff when it was founded and known as Federal University of
Technology, Abeokuta (FUTAB) on 1st December, 1983 as an Assistant
Lecturer (Analytical Chemistry).
He thanked God that he survived all the transformations from FUTAB to
ULAB (University of Lagos, Abeokuta Campus) to COSTAB (College of Science and
Technology, University of Lagos, Abeokuta Campus) ditto UNAAB to the present
day FUNAAB. In his Remarks, the Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of the Lecture,
Professor Kolawole Salako described Professor Arowolo as a devoted
Environmentalist who practices the dictate of his calling.
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