Nigerians have been urged to embrace alternative source of energy that is sustainable, as the world begins transition to renewable energy.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi who made the call on the sideline of a one-day Conference on “Journeying and Listening Together: Energy Crisis and Sustainable Lifestyle for Church and State”, organized by the Ecology Work Group of the catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.
Abayomi who urged churches in Nigeria to use their pulpit to drive advocacy on the need for a sustainable lifestyle, also said the church needs to become more actively involved in the gospel of sustainable lifestyle that can bring peace to the environment and guarantee abundance of of food and healthy energy.
The Commissioner stated that the church has enormous influence on the people and that it is high time the church lead advocacy for the Alternative sources of energy geared towards the replacement fossil fuel to Solar Power; Wind Energy; Hydro Energy; Biomass Energy; Tidal Energy and Geothermal Energy.
He regretted the increase in the energy and electricity cost with gas prices rising by about 47%; increase in cost of doing business; unemployment; global warming etc.
Prof Abayomi said factors such as Overpopulation; War and attacks; wastage; ageing energy infrastructure; inequitable over consumption and unexplored renewable energy, are mitigating against equity and global stability.
He said the rising cost of energy is driving the use of alternative energy and that Africa is in a terrible situation as 90 per cent of the WestAfrica forest cover has been lost in the last 100 years and Nigeria alone loses 350,000 hectares to destruction yearly.
Also speaking, the Archbishop of Lagos, Rev martins attributed worsening climate change to activities of man, the results of which are now staring the society in the face.
Some of these activities according to him includes heat waves that have led to the uncontrolled forest fires devastating huge swathes of land; progressing desertification; rising sea level leading to the destructive floods and landslides; chemical and technological pollution leading to depletion of biodiversity and destruction of the ecosystem.
“We are faced with the results of our collective and individual lifestyles and habits that lead to depletion of species of animals and plants and the pollution of the earth, turning it to what the Pope calls pile of filth”, the clergy noted.
According to him, the conference was the church’s response to the call by Pope Francis some seven years ago when he released his encyclical LAUDATO SI translated to Care for our home.
In her remark, the Coordinator of the Ecology Work Group, Dame Marie Fatayi-Wlliams, said the Conference was organised help aggregate steps to take and mode of execution of activities that will promote healthy living with the environment which apart from human needs is also an instruction from God who is the creator of the earth and the man that lives on the earth.