Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has expressed its commitment to achieving 30 per cent waste reduction as well as addressing other environmental challenges in the FCT.

 A statement issued by AEPB’s Deputy Director, Information and Communication, Mrs Janet Peni, quoted the Director, Mr Osilama Braimah, as stating this on Saturday in Abuja.

Braimah said that the board would embark on various activities to commemorate this year’s World Environmental Day, with the theme: “Only One Earth.”

“The theme is a wake-up call to every one of us to develop sustainably, which presents us all with the opportunity to quickly realise that a healthy planet is crucial for our collective prosperity.

“We must embrace the joint responsibility of preserving the earth, the only environment where humans can thrive.

“Climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, pollution and waste all around us are indices to show that our planet earth is on code red and it is growing more ominously every day,” he said.

According to him, the World Environmental Day is marked globally on June 5 of every year since 1972 when Sweden hosted the first-ever UN Conference on Human Environment.

He said that the board was committed to ensuring that waste was drastically reduced, adding AEPB had been putting in place waste transfer stations in some areas within the FCT.

“We have put waste transfer stations in Apo-Gudu, Mpape and Kubwa in the FCT in order to help reduce the amount of waste materials going to our land fill site in Gosa.

“We hope to achieve 30 per cent waste reduction so as to greatly increase the lifespan of our dumpsite in Goza.

“We are very optimistic about delivering one of the dumpsites before the end of this administration,” he said.

The director said that the use of water resources in a sustainable manner was crucial, as it would help in addressing pollution problems.

He said that the board had provided sewage at the Wupa sewage treatment plant where it was being treated.

“We also have small aerators in Guzape, Katampe and Apo-Gudu districts of the FCT.

“These are small waste treatment plants for about 20,000 population equivalent, and they make it possible for us to ensure that polluted water is not discharged into the environment; we treat before discharge,” he said.

Braimah said that the board had embarked on various activities for the commemoration of the day, including a clean-up exercise in some communities and a visit to IDPs’ camp within the FCT, among others.

He said that the essence of the activities was to sensitise people on the need for them to embrace living in clean and decent environment.