Following the decision of the Lagos State government’s ban on single-use plastics aimed at reducing waste and its detrimental effects on the environment, the Federal Government of Nigeria has also announced a ban on single-use plastics in all its Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
This decision was disclosed by the Minister of State for Environment, Adekunle Salako, followed the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday.
Salako highlighted that this ban is a crucial element of the government’s broader strategy for plastic waste management, which aims to address the interconnected issues of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Emphasing the severity of plastic pollution in the country, he said “This initiative demonstrates our commitment to addressing the triple threat of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Plastic waste is a major issue in our country,” Salako lamented, pointing out that plastic waste clogs drains, contributes to flooding, pollutes oceans, and poses significant risks to human health and the environment.
He added that the ban on single-use plastics is aligned with the 2022 national policy on plastic waste management, which promotes responsible plastic usage through the principles of refusing, reducing, reusing, repurposing, and recycling.
The decision, which received enthusiastic support from all members of the FEC, including President Tinubu, aims to mitigate the environmental impact of plastic waste.
“Plastic is one of the key challenges that we face when we go to our drains. And when we talk about the issue of flooding, we find out that plastic waste is heavily criminalized,
“So for us to adequately and properly use all five principles of sustainability in terms of refusing, reducing, reusing, repurposing, and recycling, the council has approved that, with some framework being put in place, there will be no longer the use of single-use plastics in all ministries, departments, and agencies of governments.”
The ban will serve as a leading example to the Nigerian populace to know that all citizens have to be environmentally responsible and use plastic waste responsibly.
