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President Bola Tinubu has committed to intensifying his efforts in protecting the environment and promoting policies that will ensure the well-being and health of the population.
Tinubu made this commitment during the inaugural National Environment Health Excellence Award (NEHEA), hosted by the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) on Tuesday in Abuja.
He was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
“Together, we will continue to expand the limits of what is achievable to enhance our environment and public health. Our focus will be on the people and the planet. The urgent global issues of climate change, environmental degradation, and emerging health threats require immediate and ongoing attention. Complacency is not an option. We must adopt innovation, collaboration, and investment in sustainable solutions to protect our environment and public health for future generations. The journey ahead necessitates bold action,” Tinubu stated.
However, he highlighted that the government cannot tackle environmental challenges alone. He emphasized that it is a shared responsibility, involving everyone from farmers using climate-smart practices to corporations investing in green technologies.
He articulated that environmental stewardship should be viewed not as a burden, but as a chance to redefine progress. “I urge you all to be the generation that bridges the gap between promise and action. Let’s create a Nigeria where forests thrive, rivers flow clean, and children grow up under unpolluted skies,” the president remarked.
Tinubu applauded EHCON for its steadfast commitment to enhancing the country’s environmental health standards and practices.
He described environmental health professionals as the unseen architects of public health, stating they are “the silent sentinels protecting our communities from preventable diseases, climate dangers, and ecological decline. Your efforts form the foundation necessary for establishing a healthier Nigeria,” he noted.
The president was honored with the title of grand patron of the National Environment and Public Health Association of Nigeria (NEPHAN) and recognized as a “Life Fellow” of the Society for Environmental and Public Health of Nigeria (SEPHON).
The event also included the unveiling of the National Environmental Health Practice Regulations 2025 and the launch of the Premises-Based National Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) Emission Monitoring Programme.
