Kaduna: A Kaduna-based NGO, The BEACON of Transformative and Inclusive Development Center (The BEACON), has urged Nigerians to make environmental cleanliness a daily responsibility beyond World Cleanup Day. Mrs. Abigail Olatunde, Executive Director of The BEACON, made the call in a statement on Saturday in Kaduna, ahead of World Cleanup Day, marked globally on September 20.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Olatunde emphasized that the annual cleanup should not only focus on waste removal but also encourage communities to re-evaluate their attitudes towards consumption and waste management. She remarked that while streets, waterways, and neighborhoods might be cleaned within hours, they would quickly revert to their previous state if waste-generating habits remained unchanged. “Cleanup is one day. Keeping it clean, is every day,” she stated.
Olatunde highlighted that seemingly minor actions, such as discarding bottles from vehicles, dumping refuse beside drainage channels, and abandoning plastic bags, could evolve into significant public issues when practiced daily. She pointed out that poorly managed waste could obstruct drainage, contribute to flooding, contaminate water and soil, create breeding grounds for disease vectors, and undermine the safety of public spaces.
She further noted that the effects of unhealthy environments are not experienced equally, particularly by persons with disabilities, older people, children, and those with limited mobility. Blocked walkways, scattered waste, and flooded surroundings could create additional barriers for wheelchair users and people with visual impairments. “At The BEACON, we therefore see environmental responsibility as part of inclusive development. A community cannot be described as truly inclusive if some people cannot safely navigate its streets, markets, schools, and public spaces,” she said.
Olatunde urged that environmental responsibility did not always require large projects or substantial funding, advocating for simple practices that could reduce waste. She listed responsible waste disposal, reducing unnecessary consumption, reusing materials, separating recyclable items where facilities existed, reducing food waste, and teaching children to protect public spaces as effective measures.
She also called for stronger institutional support through reliable waste collection, appropriate disposal facilities, environmental education, and enforcement of reasonable environmental standards. Olatunde urged the government and relevant institutions to integrate accessibility and sustainability into urban planning.
Olatunde expressed that World Cleanup Day should prompt individuals to consider not only how much waste has been collected but also how much waste could have been prevented. The BEACON’s contribution to this year’s observance will commence with conversation and advocacy to promote a different relationship with the environment. “We may not be gathering hundreds of volunteers for a large cleanup exercise, but responsible citizenship does not begin with the size of an event. It begins with recognizing that each of us leaves a footprint on the places we call home,” she declared.
She concluded by stating that a cleaner Kaduna, Nigeria, and a healthier planet could not be achieved through one commemorative day, but through daily decisions and communities designed to enable everyone to participate and move with dignity.