Two environmentalists in Abuja on Wednesday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate a policy that would make the country become a fossil fuel-free environment.
They gave the advice in Abuja that the President should borrow a leaf from some countries that were thinking of having electric cars and solar energy to discourage use of fossil fuels in their countries.
Dr Victoria Pillah, an environmentalist and the President, Soroptimist International, urged Buhari to begin the process of banning fossil fuels and initiate a policy that would encourage use of renewable energy in the country.
According to Pillah, this will go a long way in helping Nigeria to reduce her carbon footprint and achieve her targets as signed in the Paris Agreement.
Mr David Michael, the Executive Director, Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation, an NGO, also spoke in the same vein.
He urged the Federal Government to initiate a policy that would tax organisations and corporations that run their businesses and activities through fossil fuel generators.
Micheal added that government should give incentives to organisations that run on renewable energy. ‘‘We believe that such move by the Federal Government will assist the country to reduce its carbon emissions.
‘‘Furthermore, we will like to see all relevant agencies of government in the environmental sector working in synergy to achieve the targets of the Paris agreement and Sustainable Development Goals,’’ he said.
The environmentalist, who noted that environmental challenges were numerous in the country, urged President Buhari to proffer ways to address them.
‘‘Mr President is not unaware of the numerous environmental challenges we face as a nation; from the oil spillage in the Niger Delta, to desert encroachment in the North East and North West.
‘‘We commend President Buhari for his tireless work on the environment in his first tenure. We request him to expedite actions on defaulters of the existing environmental laws, to serve as a deterrent to others,’’ he said.
