The Lagos State government and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have advised Nigerians to ensure efficient management of food at private homes and in public places in order to protect the environment and achieve food security. Lagos State condemned the ugly habit of wasting food at events, homes and public functions.

      Speaking at this year’s World Enviroment day (WED) in Lagos, the state commissioner of environment, Tunji Bello, urged lagosians to cultivate the habit of reducing food waste so that the environmental impact of food production could be minimised.

      World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 of every year to raise global awareness of the need to take positive environmental action. It is run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

      The theme for this year’s WED celebration was ‘’Think.Eat.Save’’ which is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages people to reduce their food print.

      Bello stressed the need for a high conservative culture by Nigerians not just on food, but also on all natural deposit, appealing that everybody should help sensitise residents on the need for a conservative environment. 

      Delivering his key note address at the event, the state governor, Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by his deputy, Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, condemned the high rate of food waste in society,

      ‘’Food waste leads to squandering of resources such as fertilisers, pesticides and fuel used for transportation,’’ he added.

      Also, governor Fashola noted that the vast amount of food waste going to landfills and creating more methane makes a significant contribution to global warming.

      This act of food wastage, he said, is unacceptable and a huge drain on precious resources.

      The governor joined other world leaders to stress the need for everyone to be more aware of the environmental impacts of the food choices they make and be informed on decisions meant to guard against waste.

      If we are able to effectively control food production stages such as harvesting, processing, distribution and consumption, we will have a healthier and hungry-free world’’, he said.

      He advised retailers, the hospitality industry and restaurants to embrace food waste reduction tips such as carrying out waste audits and products loss analysis for high wastage areas, redesign product packages to avoid waste and offer discount for near-expiration products.

      Further report on the World Environmental Day celebration from Abuja, according to Businessday stated that the FCT minister, Bala Mohammed, on Wednesday advised Nigerians to ensure efficient waste management of food to achieve food security.

      The minister, CEOAFRICA gathered, represented by Aishat Adebayo, the acting director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), said that food deserve careful management by all the sundry.

      ‘’food, as one of the most essential and basic necessities of human existence, deserves utmost attention and careful management by all, especially political leaders. This is in appreciation of the effect of food security in the promotion of world peace and sustainable development’’.

       In Adamawa state, Governor Murtala Nyako warned people of the state to desist from destruction of forest through indiscriminate felling of trees, and bush burning, to check desert encroachment.the governor gave the warning on the occasion to commemorate the 2013 world environment in yola.

      Similarly, In Kaduna, Andrew Yakubu, group managing director of NNPC, frowned at the level of food being wasted by staff of the corporation.

      Yakubu said in a message to mark the world environment day that the action was having negative impact on the environment, as documented by Businessday.

      Represented by the managing director of Kaduna refining and petrochemical company, Bolanle Ayodele, the GMD said food wastage amounts to waste of natural resources.