The Lagos State Government has warned those who engage in illicit trade and sales of wildlife, especially in the wet markets across the state to desist.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Tunji Bello, in handing down the warning, said his ministry would soon commence a state-wide surveillance and enforcement to curb the menace.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the ministry’s Director (Public Affairs), Kunle Adeshina, the commissioner spoke at a press briefing in his office as part of activities to mark the 2022 World Biological Biodiversity Day on Monday.
Bello was quoted as describing biodiversity as an essential asset that must be sustainably managed, wisely utilised and conserved for future generation.
Highlighting the theme for 2022 celebration “Building a shared future for all life” the commissioner said the theme presupposed that nature must have a natural balance for survival of all living and non-living things in the environment, adding that any alteration in the natural ecosystem will have an after effect on the environment.
He described biological diversity as the variety of plants and animals that live in an ecosystem, highlighting the importance of biodiversity to include provision of food security, environmental stability, ecosystems restoration and recreational values.
The statement read, “Bello said the greatest threats facing biological diversity today were numerous but preeminent amongst them were habitat destruction and over-exploitation, adding that the quest by property developers to acquire land for housing projects has led to the wanton destruction of many wetlands and forest ecosystems which serve as habitat for a considerable percentage of the state’s biodiversity.
“He said over-exploitation of wildlife was also a major contributor to the increasing decline in the population of several species of animals in the state at an alarming rate, emphasising that animals that are facing imminent threat of extinction were pangolin, hooded vulture, sea turtle and manatee populations, adding that this trend is progressively destroying the earth’s biological diversity while equally upsetting the environment’s ecological balance.
“The commissioner said the state government was aware of this development and has continuously taken various steps aimed at addressing them and has embarked on advocacy and awareness campaign on wetlands conservation to the three senatorial districts in the state to further prevent encroachment, reclamations, protect ecosystem and its inhabitants.”
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