The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has donated receptacles to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, Kano and Rivers states, to commemorate the 2023 World Environment Day, celebrated globally on June 5.
Dr Tony Okpanachi, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, DBN, said this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2023 World Environment Day was observed under the #BeatPasticPolution campaign, with the theme: “Solution to Plastic Pollution”.
The campaign is geared toward redoubling actions to reduce plastic pollution and its impact on the environment.
Okpanachi stated that the donation was in furtherance to the bank’s commitment to environmental sustainability and a net zero ecosystem.
He said the receptacles were presented by the management of DBN to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) as well as Kano and Rivers State Ministry of Environment respectively.
“The Director, AEPB, Mr Osilama Braimah, took delivery of the donated receptacles at the board’s Headquarters, located at the Central Business District, behind Defence College, Abuja.
“While in Lagos, Managing Director /CEO, LAWMA, Mr Ibrahim Odumboni, received receptacles at the agency’s Ijora Olopa headquarters.
“The Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Environment, Mr Aliyu Garo, received the receptacles at the Ministry Headquarters, State Secretariat, Kano.
“While the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Pastor Emmanuel Feneimeka, took delivery of the receptacles at the ministry’s State Secretariat, Port Harcourt,” he said.
According to him, DBN staff also visited some select schools across the country to interact and train students on recycling and other responsible behaviours toward the environment.
Okpanachi said DBN actively celebrates World Environment every year and that it has become a permanent event in its corporate calendar.
He noted that the event is a deliberate way the bank demonstrates its commitment to greening the earth and trying to improve current negative effects of environmental degradation.
He said that the year’s theme for the event resonates strongly within the bank and had deliberately put in place measures to address its carbon footprint.
The DBN boss stated that the bank started recycling activities within its offices across Abuja and Lagos in 2020.
He said that DBN also focuses on recycling PET bottles, cartons and paper waste to imbibe a culture of a safe environment on its workers.
“Our goal is to gradually reduce our use of plastics over the next three to five years. An ambitious goal we have set for ourselves, and had already put in place a Net Zero plan to demonstrate our commitment.
“We also recognise that just as we are taking deliberate steps internally, we must do the same for our immediate environments.
“This year’s theme enables us to demonstrate our commitment to this goal of waste reduction by donating these plastic receptacles.
“The receptacles were donated to states where data and research have shown are serious and passionate about recycling and waste management,” he said.
Okpanachi expressed DBN’s delight in complementing the unwavering efforts of the FCT, Lagos, Kano and Rivers state governments at waste management.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria