Press Releases

Climate Change: Fashola Reiterates Call For Joint Action To Save Planet Earth

Oct 12, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Monday reiterated his call for a concerted action by all governments across the world to save Planet Earth from looming danger due to Climate Change.

Governor Fashola who, last week made the same call in California at the Governors’ Global Climate Summit, told visiting Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Mr. Jean Geuthier, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House Alausa, Ikeja, that the time to act is now if the world would stop the impending Environmental disaster.

“It is no longer a matter of choice but a matter of necessity that every nation in the world, every level of government, from local to state to federal; whether provincial or national as the case may be, everybody must put the hand on the plough to save our environment. Without the Environment, there will be no planet”, the Governor said.

According to the Governor, “The issue of our planet is one thing that has the biggest potential to bring humanity together. It is a threat to humanity and for representatives of governments across the world, this is the time to demonstrate truly that, irrespective of how we look, speak or think, this common threat to humanity must be dealt with collectively”.

The Governor said there is so much Lagos, Montreal, Toronto and other cities across the world can do together as cities while Nigeria and Canada can also work together in so many areas in the same direction.

Noting that Nigeria and Canada share the same multi-party system of government, Governor Fashola said the problems of the system show the imperfection of a system of governance and indeed anything made by man, adding, however, that it must continue to thrive with forbearance and mutual and collective understanding.

“I truly believe that so much more can be done. The institutions of governance and institutions of international relations and various high commissions and missions have been established by law, but how effective they become in achieving their purpose will really depend on the commitment that men and women who lead them from time to time bring to bear”, the Governor said.

He said only commitment and passion could build the required relationship that is capable of breaking barriers and fostering relationships for the success of the existing institutions adding, “I believe that between you and I and my team, we will be able to break those barriers and develop relationship of mutual respect and responsibility that will make these institutions of the Nigerian Government and the Canadian Government at all levels, through their various inter-mediatory institutions, consulates and high commissions, much more effective, much more productive for our planet”.

Wishing the Deputy High Commissioner a fruitful tenure in Nigeria, Governor Fashola noted that the visitor’s past experience in Africa would come in handy to make him feel at home in the country.

Earlier, the Deputy High Commissioner had said his visit was to ensure that the relationship that exists between Canada and Nigeria and between Canada and Lagos State continues to grow.

According to him, although sometimes in a Federal System, some states tend to be more powerful than the Federal Government, the final power rests with the centre adding, “It is a delicate balance we have to follow”.

Also present at the occasion were the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barrister Opeyemi Bamidele, the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya, the Chief of Staff, Mr. Lanre Babalola nd the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Relations, Ms Toyin Caxton-Martins among other top government functionaries.