By Chris Ojeikere
Environmental sustainability is the challenge of modern development agenda. The critical need to balance infrastructural and productive growth economic trajectory with preserving our society for our future and our children needs meticulous thinking through and a broad based, overall vision of perspective, before embarking on any development plan.
Obviously, Asue Ighodalo’s is no doubts aware of this critical balance as clearly illustrated in the Environmental Sustainability agenda of his Manifesto. Eyes for details as usual, Asue Ighodalo notes that: ” our development agenda must be different from what it would have been 10 years ago…”. He acknowledges the environmental consequences of our development trajectory and comes up with very practical and purposeful suggestions that clearly include sustainability elements in them. Anyone familiar with environmental issues will you tell straight away that the most critical element involved in Environmental issues, is Sustainability!
Asue Ighodalo demonstrates a robust understanding of this challenge. For instance, he intends to deal with the issue of housing cost by attracting manufacturers of building materials to come and do so in a controlled environment in Edo State, using innovative models. This will drill down cost, achieve environmental friendly housing and provide cheaper accommodation for all in one fell swoop! Additionally, the initiative will develop both local and international markets for the building materials so produced. This is certainly a winning initiative that has very robust potentials for sustainability!
Another very interesting and related sustainability index is knowing where to find the financing for driving the Environment agenda. Asue Ighodalo tells us he knows where. He is aware of extant DFI’s dedicated funds to support environmental agendas that show in their plan that they have sustainability elements. He intends to draw on that fund and furthermore, he is determined to exploit all available means of financing to achieve his Manifesto’s goal!
The potential benefits and advantage of having Green environment cannot be overstated. Apart from the clean, healthy advantages it has to sustain us and secure our future, it is perhaps the most motivating catalyst for Tourism enhancement and Visitors economy progress. When we tie all that to his further progressive vision of “SDG training for key staff in our MDA to build the capacity to attract investment in our sustainability – compliant growth initiative,” then we can begin to look at a future of Green assurance in Edo State. Asue Ighodalo is a goal with Environment also !
