Don’t Depend on Government for All Needs – Remi Tinubu

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday launched the Environment Club and Environment Society at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, urging young Nigerians to stop depending on the country for all their needs and instead take responsibility for protecting and improving their environment.

The initiative is part of the Renewed Hope Initiative in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment and is designed to equip young Nigerians to become leading champions for a cleaner, greener and more sustainable nation.

The event drew the wives of state governors, senior officers of the National Assembly, the wife of the Chief of Staff to the President, service chiefs, top government officials and other distinguished guests. The wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, was also in attendance.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, Elsie Attafuah, described the launch as a national movement that places young Nigerians at the centre of development. She said the clubs would become innovation centres for clean energy ideas, climate action campaigns and environmental protection efforts. She also pledged full UNDP support to nurture creativity and solutions emerging from the programme.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abba Lawal, highlighted the critical role of youth in environmental preservation. He noted that a clean environment is essential for good health and that the initiative could positively influence future generations. He also raised concerns over global environmental threats, particularly the rising volume of plastic waste in marine spaces.

The clubs, which will operate in secondary schools while the societies will function in tertiary institutions, will drive advocacy among young people, encourage problem solving in climate challenges and local issues such as blocked waterways, promote research in areas like rain harvesting for dry season farming, and advance circular economy practices through recycling and waste reduction.