Dafinone Calls for Urgent Action to Check Coastal Erosion in Lagos

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

Chairman, National Executive Council, Nigerian Conservation Foundation, NCF, Chief Ede Dafinone has called for concerted effort to protect the shoreline of Lagos to prevent the state from going under water in no distant time.

His call at the 30th Annual General Meeting of NCF, held at the Lekki Conservation Centre, Lagos recently, follows predictions by scientists that Lagos may go under water by 2050 if drastic actions are not taken to reverse the situation.

“We initiated a campaign on Lagos erosion with a lecture. The call became crucial seeing how coastal erosion along the beaches, including our pride, Lekki Conservation Centre, are being submerged,” he said.

Environmental education is a key element of our Strategic Action Plan. We held training for school conservation club coordinators to promote and deepen environmental education in schools, he said.

The President, Board of Trustees, NCF, Izioma Philip Asiodu stated that the Foundation has continued to survive on partnerships, as it cannot strive alone.

“In bringing the issue of Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) in Nigeria to the front burner, we began the year with the Chief S. L. Edu Memorial Lecture themed “Combatting Illegal Wildlife Trade in West Africa: the Role of Environmental Law and Governance,” he said.

“Our advocacy programmes remain a vital tool to call attention of government, organisations and people to actions on climate change, plastic pollution, mangrove restoration, desertification and restoring Nigeria’s forest to at least 20% by 2050,” he said.