Carbonated soft drinks giant, CocaCola Nigeria Limited recently entered a strategic partnership with two N8gerian Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), African Clean Up Initiative, Mental and Environmental Development Initiative for Children, (MEDIC) to commemorate 2020 edition of World Clean Up Day.
The event, usually celebrated September 19 of every year globally brought together various corporate bodies and interest groups to address solid waste challenges through numerous clean up initiatives across Lagos State as well as Ibadan in Oyo State.
On the event, African Cleanup Initiative held cleanup activities across numerous locations in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states and through the outreach more than 200 volunteers gather to collect over 1,500kg of solid waste materials and about 300kg of recyclable waste materials.At the Lagos event, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Mrs Belinda Aderonke Odeneye, applauded the programme, while expressing Lagos State Government’s delight at being part of the cleanup activity.
Represented on the ocassion by the Assistant Director, Sanitation Services Department of the Ministry, Mrs Toyin Oguntola, She went further to admonish the residents on the need to be more environmentally responsible.
She stated, “The government can only perform excellently with law-abiding citizens. We all have a role to play in waste management and ignoring those responsibilities will make all the efforts of the government futile”.
Similarly, the International Coastal Cleanup held at Bonny Camp Coastline by Mental and Environmental Development Initiative for Children (MEDIC) also produced outstanding results with about 600kg of marine plastic waste materials recovered and over 250kg of marine debris sent to the landfill.
The outreach saw participation from over 100 volunteers.The activities are in line with Coca-Cola’s vision for a World Without Waste and the company’s commitment to doing business sustainably.
Speaking on its World Without Waste initiatives, the Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability Manager, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe explained, “We all have a responsibility to keep our environment clean and Coca-Cola is not left out as we remain committed to promoting a sustainable environment through our plastic recycling and recovery activities, as well as other environmental initiatives”.
With the award of grants of over $800,000 by The Coca-Cola Foundation to multiple local NGOs, several recycling and women empowerment programs are being implemented to help address the issue of environmental protection while simultaneously empowering women who remain significant pillars of the clean up initiative.
