Funmi Ogundare
As the June 5 annual World Environment Day celebration draws nearer, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) at the weekend stated that it is partnering Dangote Industries and the Nigerian Breweries to sponsor an essay competition among undergraduate students across all tertiary institutions in the state as a way of involving them in the task of environmental preservation.
This move, he said, would scale up its advocacy campaigns in schools and colleges to carry along the youths in the implementation of government reform policies aimed at combating climate change and greenhouse effect for sustainable environmental growth.
The General Manager, Dr. Tunde Ajayi, told journalists at a pre-event press conference held in Alausa, Ikeja, that the essay competition would raise the consciousness of youths on environmental preservation, desertification and other climate change mitigating efforts towards achieving a sustainable environment for a healthy living.
With the theme of this year's World Environment Day: 'Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience', Ajayi stated that it would also form the topic on which participants in the competition would be tasked.
"Participating students are expected to do a write-up that will address environmental challenges in the state while exploring innovative solutions that could be useful in policy formulation," he stated.
The General Manager noted that the essay competition is open to undergraduate students of all tertiary institutions in the state, and will attract a cash prize of N500,000 for the overall winner, while the second and third runners-up will go home with N300, 000 N200, 000, respectively.
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"There would be other consolation prizes for the participants in the competition, including becoming LASEPA's ambassador on environmental protection, gaining free access to LASEPA e-Library and LASEPA ISO-certified laboratories and other facilities for learning and research development," he said, while calling on all undergraduates across all tertiary institutions in the state to take the advantage of the competition to enrich themselves in knowledge and material resources.
" Interested undergraduates are to visit info@lasepa.gov.ng or the agency's other social media handles. Relevant information and requirements on the essay competition have been sent to all tertiary institutions in Lagos, with the submission deadline on June 5. A panel of judges carefully selected on merit, will grade the quality of the work submitted by participants for winners to emerge."
