Governor Babatunde Fashola urges Lagosians to walk rather than drive to short destinations

Rather than drive to the shop, club, church or mosque or wherever else that is not distant, the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola is urging Lagosians to walk instead and reap numerous benefits doing so.

Such benefits include saving on fuel costs, reducing the polluting emissions into the atmosphere and improvement in general health, lowering blood pressure and improving the heart condition and mental health.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on the Environment, Dr. Taofeek Folami, spoke at the 2012 Walk for Nature organized by the Ministry of the Environment in collaboration with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) with the theme: Sustainable Energy for Us All, which was held at State House, Marina, Lagos.

He said the energy consumption pattern at present was not sustainable and that since the transport sector was a major contributor to the depletion of the ozone layer and thus climate change and its devastating consequences across the world, walking on short journeys becomes a delightful alternative.

“Walking as a natural exercise endears us to nature, it gets us close to God and helps our body’, Fashola said.

The President Nigerian Conservation Foundation said the theme for the 2012 Walk for Nature was instructive, especially now that Nigeria cannot afford to sit-on-the-fence on the issue of global warming.

He commended the Lagos State government’s greening programme and called for the utilization of eco-friendly and renewable energy resources, such as solar energy which can be popularized as is happening in many parts of the world for the benefit of Nigerians.

Earlier, the Commissioner for the Environment represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Adebola Afun had also urged Lagosians to walk rather than driv, even as he noted that the construction of walkways on all major roads was an invitation to people in the metropolis, to, as much as possible, walk rather than drive.

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