A professor of chemistry at the University of Lagos, Babajide Alo, has called for strict control and management of chemical use in Nigeria.
Alo made the call at the third annual Professor Musbau Akanji Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences Lecture of Kwara State University(KWASU), Malete.
In his lecture titled; “Leveraging on participative global treaties and strategies – imperatives for pollution control and sustainable development”, Alo said there was increasing global demand for chemical-based products and processes which was leading to substantial misuse with adverse effects on human health and the environment.
He added that while there were global regulations to address and control chemical production, use and disposal, proper enforcement continued to pose a great challenge to African nations.
Nigeria, he said, had taken active part in all major global initiatives and programmes aimed at alleviating global environmental problems, but lack of political will, poor human and institutional capacities continued to hinder effective management of chemical use.
He, therefore, suggested as solutions, increased financial support for bodies overseeing chemical use, stoppage of waste dumping and working towards a pollution-free Africa.
In his address, the acting vice-chancellor of Kwara State University, Professor Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, described the annual lecture as a forum for critical engagement with topical societal concerns.
Jimoh reiterated that the immense contributions of Professor Musbau Akanji to scholarship, administration, and mentorship led to the university naming the faculty lecture after him.
Earlier, the dean, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Prof Emmanuel Ajani, had described the faculty lecture as one way to continue sharing knowledge.
