The STARZS Investments Company Ltd. (SICL), an indigenous shipping company, in continuation of its 40th Anniversary activities, on Wednesday, began a campaign for environmental awareness, and sustainability, beginning with planting of trees in some schools.
The company, in association with the Nigerian Environment Society, Rivers State Chapter, also inaugurated school clubs, for the protection of the environment, by not only planting trees and projecting overall cleanliness, but also amplifying same beyond the school environments.
The schools included the Government Boys’ Secondary School, Elelenwo, Government Community Boys’ Secondary School, Elelenwo, Community Boys’ Secondary School Junior, Elelenwo, and Community Girls’ Secondary School, Elelenwo, and the Government Secondary School, Onne; and they all got the required materials, particularly waste plastic bags and trees, amongst others.
However, Government Secondary School, Onne and the Community Secondary School, Ogu in Ogu-Bolo Local Government, also bagged infrastructural upgrade, as the SICL rehabilitated and refitted some classrooms with chairs and tables, whiteboards etc at Ogu- Bolo while commissioning of a giant, solar -powered borehole, alongside a befitting male and female school toilets .
Starting with a brief lecture on the importance of good environment by the anchor, Dr. Dr. Olowu Emmanuel, the General Secretary, NES Rivers Chapter, a little exhortation by the Principal (BSS Senior), Dr. Alfred Wosa; an enthusiastic reciprocation from the students, in the presence of their teachers, which included Mrs. Nosike Jane (Senior Girls School), Justina Cookey (Vice Principal, Senior Girls), Julia Nflan (a Senior teacher), amongst others, the Rivers State Nigerian Environmental Society NES, Frank Loveday inaugurated the Students’ Clubs.
“I hereby inaugurate the Environmental Club of this schools, Government Boys’ Secondary School, Elelenwo, Government Community Boys’ Secondary School, Elelenwo, Community Boys’ Secondary School Junior, Elelenwo, and Community Girls’ Secondary School, Elelenwo,” Frank Loveday declared.
The moment was electrifying as students which included DaGogo Destiny, Christopher Godwin, Umor Samuel and Philip John received cash prizes, delivered on the spot, as motivation.
Addressing the students, the Rivers State Nigerian Environmental Society NES Chairman, Frank Loveday, charged them to see themselves as leaders of tomorrow who must see themselves as protectors of the environment.
“If I say ‘NES’, your response is: Act, Think, Sustainable Environment!'” he tasked, and the response came immediately.
He thanked the STARZS Group, an indigenous company fully and sincerely impacting the nation’s waters, for moving upland, to protect even also the land, stressing that except the land environment is protected and sustained, there could be consequences.
He described the Nigerian Environmental Society as a non-profit-making organization, comprising pure minded professionals who, over the years, have taken time to develop themselves on environmental issues.
“As you know, the environment is our mainstay, is our home. And everything we’re going to be doing, and we have been doing, and we’ll be doing, is actually packaged on this bed, as the envelope that is housing us. And it is our core responsibility not only to be a watchdog, but to be participatory professionals by way of contributing our part and our quota in activities and actions that will help, not only to sustain, but also to manage the environment.
“It is on that premise that we are here today to do this program. And we are doing it in conjunction with the STARZS Investment Company and marine. This is an indigenous group that have over the years, since 1986 or thereabouts, been on marine activities.
“They have shown distinction, and I must emphasize distinction, in the way their activities have been carried.
“We have often looked forward that indigenous companies will take the lead, as STARZS Company has done”, he also, thanking the company and soliciting that others should emulate the company.
In the meantime, a Chieftain of the Company, Mr. Adeyi Adeniyi has assured that the Company would continue to support and promote environmental protection and sustainability.
He noted that Port Harcourt was once flaunted as the”garden city” and wondered why the grace must abandoned, simply because other gains were discovered, stressing that trees aside protecting man from sun, houses against the winds, also provide many with oxygen, while filtering away carbon dioxide.
“There is something we do, as an organization. Basically, we go for trees that are medicinal, or, of medicinal value; and of trees that are of economic value.
“However, please note too, that the essence of our strategy is to ensure that while we are providing the economic value, we are also providing oxygen, we are protecting the environment, and we are also beautifying the environment.
