Social workers advocate environmental sustainability

Social workers have advocated environmental sustainability as they celebrate World Social Work Day. Speaking at this year’s event held in Abuja, the National President of Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASOW), Olawale Nathaniel said,  “Everything that supports the survival of a human being is highly dependent on environment. As such, the wellness of the environment […]

Social workers have advocated environmental sustainability as they celebrate World Social Work Day.

Speaking at this year’s event held in Abuja, the National President of Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASOW), Olawale Nathaniel said,  “Everything that supports the survival of a human being is highly dependent on environment. As such, the wellness of the environment directly relates to the wellness of human beings and other species in the environment. Hence, there is the need to sustain it by protecting it.”

Kolawole said the theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Promoting Community and Environment Sustainability’, is apt “because the major concern of social work is the welfare of the people.”

Nigeria has in recent times been confronted with various social vices such as terrorism, cultism, drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, kidnapping, child abuse, amongst others.

Kolawole said to effectively address these challenges, social workers must be empowered through legislation.

“Social workers need legal backing to effectively perform their roles, that is why we are calling on  senators to kindly expedite action on the passage of the ‘Bill on Professionalization of Social Work, ” he said.

 Also, the president, Association of Medical Social Workers of Nigeria (AMSWON), Abubakar Bichi, who observed the event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, stressed the need for the government to focus on environmental justice.

“When disasters happen, the people who are most vulnerable in the communities are usually affected. So also is the environment. As long as the environment is not protected, the people will suffer more,” he stressed, adding, “we must focus on environmental justice.”