Sahara Group, Egbin, NCF partner for environmental sustainability
Lagos -- Energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Sahara Group, Egbin Power Plc Sahara Group company, and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, NCF, have commenced a partnership geared towards the establishment of a nature reserve in Ikorodu to promote environmental sustainability.
Ikorodu is a coastal city in Lagos, Nigeria which is home to Egbin Power, a large privately run thermal plant that serves over 30 million households in Nigeria.
Ejiro Gray, Director, of Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, said the reserve would serve as a sanctuary for animals and plants as well as a carbon sink to help reduce the effect of climate change.
“We are excited at the prospects this partnership holds and the positive impact we expect as Sahara Group continues to lead the charge towards environmental sustainability, especially in Africa where we have our roots. We also see huge prospects for socio-economic benefits through ecotourism, air quality control, and urban heat reduction,” she said.
Gray said the proposed Nature Reserve would anchor its activities on four thematic programmes, which include awareness building and advocacy, environmental education and resource centre, ecotourism destination, and preservation of cultural
heritage. She noted that It would also serve as a biological laboratory for research, attribute stakeholders say can trigger the development of similar reserves in the subregion.
“This collaboration will leverage the strengths and expertise, including Sahara Group’s experience in promoting sustainable development, its commitment to reducing carbon emissions, and the NCF’s expertise in environmental conservation,” she added.
Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director General, NCF, said the organisation was delighted to enter the collaboration with Sahara Group and Egbin Power towards preserving the full range of Nigeria’s biodiversity, promoting sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of the present and future generations; and advocating actions that minimize pollution and wasteful utilisation of renewable resources.