COVID- 19: GLOBE donates 700 face masks for Abuja community

The Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) has donated about 700 facemasks to the Ministry of Environment for distribution to the vulnerable within Mabushi community of the FCT. Minister of Environment Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar while receiving the items yesterday in Abuja, noted that the enormity of challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic […]

The Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) has donated about 700 facemasks to the Ministry of Environment for distribution to the vulnerable within Mabushi community of the FCT.

Minister of Environment Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar while receiving the items yesterday in Abuja, noted that the enormity of challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerians required steps to contain the spread of the disease.

Represented by the director of Human Resources, Mr Peter Daniang, the minister appreciated GLOBE for the donation, saying some vulnerable groups within the society required assistance hence the face masks would help to curb community spread.

He maintained that the pandemic is environment-based and therefore places a heavy responsibility on the ministry to play a non-medical role at this critical stage.

Also speaking, the president of GLOBE Nigeria, Hon Sam Onuigbo, said the COVID-19 public health crisis is a reminder of the threat of climate change and biodiversity loss as well as the collective actions to protect the fragile environment.

He noted that both COVID-19 crisis and Nigeria’s ability to handle its effect demonstrated unforeseen economic impacts on provisional ecosystem services provided by nature and how human beings must make collective actions to protect the environment.

The president, represented by the head of Administration, GLOBE Nigeria, Barr Hadassah Benson, said the organisation is playing an active role by supporting environmental lawmaking through legislative activities including the ongoing GLOBE Natural Capital and REDD+project.

He, however, noted that the organisation would continue to enjoy warm collaboration with the ministry and other agencies including the funding and technical partners like GEF and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for supporting its activities.