LASU CESSED Partners Ministry on Sustainable Environment
Funmi Ogundare
The Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSED), Lagos State University(LASU), Ojo, has promised its readiness to build a partnership with the Ministry of the Environment towards making the state cleaner and safer.
The Director of the centre, Professor Babajide Elemo who made this known, recently, during a courtesy visit of the Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment, Dr. Samuel Babajide Adejare to the institution, expressed optimism about working out a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the state government to have a laboratory for its researchers, noting that one of the steps towards achieving it, is to create a Master’s programme in Climate Change and Development.
According to him, “we discovered that many of our staff have no continuous education in this regard. What we are doing is something that will outlive us. It is something that will make LASU the focal point of the Lagos metropolis in another 50 years when many of us are no longer around.
“I am aware of what Lancaster University is doing and I know we can replicate that in our Institution and state here.”
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Lanre Fagbohun who welcomed the commissioner’s team, expressed delight about the visit saying, “when we created CESSED, it was meant to be the think-tank for the Ministry of the Environment. But somewhere along the line, it didn’t work out as planned. With your visit today, we intend to get this back on track. What we have in mind is to immediately kick-start this partnership with an environmental summit.”
He said the institution has empowered its students to drive the initiative of the ministry, adding, “our students can be the advocates of the Lagos Smart City. Give us the chance, believe in and trust us. We have the capacity to deliver.”
In his response, the Commissioner in his response commended the Vice Chancellor for his efforts, while expressing the readiness of the state government to work with the institution in actualising the Cleaner Lagos Initiative. “Your passion for the University cum Lagos is immeasurable and I am happy to let you know that the governor is passionate about making LASU a Central Focus of his Clean Lagos Initiative. I have been to other institutions abroad like the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Lancaster University and what those reputable institute are dong in their communities is what the governor envisions LASU to do for Lagos State,” he stressed He assured the university of a partnership that will further drive its development saying, “there are many top organisations that want to partner the state government. We will bring them to the table with LASU. We will get them to employ some of our students. We know it can be done. For your request about the summit, it is approved. We will constitute a team that will work with LASU on a continuous basis to actualise our plans.”