As preparations for the 50th annual scientific workshop and first international conference being organised by the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN) gather momentum, an international environmentalist, Professor George Karani, has described it as an opportunity to share ideas on sustainable solutions to effects of climate change.
Karani of the Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom, who is the international guest speaker for the conference with the theme: ‘Climate Changes and Environmental Health: Consequences, Concern and Mitigating Factors on Socio-economic Status’, after an interactive meeting with top environmental health professionals in the country, commended the initiative, saying, it will bring log of international speakers to share ideas and knowledge on how to solve the challenges of extreme climatic conditions and its attendant impact on health and environment.
“It is a great initiative to have an opportunity to discuss the problems of climate change. It is a big problem that has been with us for several years. I believe environmental health professionals have a role to play in finding solutions to the big issue. As environmentalists, our job is to help and improve the quality of lives of the people in our countries. The conference in Lagos would offer another opportunity to share experiences from across the world to help in realizing what the problems are. And once we realize them, then we propose sustainable solutions to solve them. I am looking forward to the conference,” he said.
At a brief session with Dr. Samuel Akingbehin, the National President of EHOAN and other officials in Lagos, Prof. Karani, who was in the country as international assessor of the PhD graduating students of Kwara State University, exchanged views and ideas on intractable environmental issues affecting the socio-economic lives of Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
Akingbehin said Karani’s visit to the country has set the tone for the international conference, tagged “Eko Akete 2018”, which holds from November 28 to December 1, 2018 at the Golden Tulip, Festac, Lagos.
“Prof. Karani’s coming afforded us the opportunity to hold special session with him ahead of our 50th annual scientific workshop and international conference holding in Lagos. We are glad to have him here before the event. It afforded him an opportunity to see and understand the physical impact of climate change in our communities with Lagos and Kwara States as case study.
“We discussed possible areas of cooperation in education and training of our professional environmental health practitioners,” he said.
