Oluremi Tinubu charges state governments to engage youth in environmental protection

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, has called on state governments to actively involve young people in environmental protection programmes, lamenting that no state participated in a category of the Green Nigeria Challenge aimed at reclaiming abandoned public spaces.

Speaking on Monday at a ceremony honouring the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration for its environmental initiatives, Mrs Tinubu said the competition was designed to encourage states to mobilise youths to transform dumpsites and neglected spaces into parks, gardens and other eco-friendly centres.

She disclosed that despite a ₦50 million prize attached to the Community Category of the challenge, no state submitted an entry.

“It was a ₦50 million prize money and they didn’t enter. This was supposed to get our youth involved,” she said.

The First Lady explained that the initiative, organised under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), was intended to complement government efforts at environmental sustainability while promoting healthier communities.

“The transformation reflects the vision behind the just concluded Community Category of the Challenge, which was designed to encourage youth groups to transform degraded public spaces, including dumpsites and abandoned areas, into green parks, gardens and other eco-friendly spaces,” she said.

She urged wives of state governors to champion environmental clubs and sustainability programmes in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions to encourage young Nigerians to contribute to national development.

“I’m using this opportunity to appeal to our First Ladies: Get our young children into the environmental clubs and environmental societies for our youth in tertiary institutions,” she said.