As part of its campaign to protect the environment, an indigenous shipping firm, Starzs Investments Company Limited (SICL) has set up efforts to create awareness and protect the environment in its areas of operations.
Besides setting up students’ tree planting clubs, it has started the planting of trees in some selected schools in the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt.
The initiative is geared towards creating awareness and the sustainability of the environment in continuation of the firm 40th anniversary activities which kicked off on Sunday with a thanksgiving service.
According to the firm, the initiative is in association with the Nigerian Environment Society (NES), Rivers State Chapter. Also inaugurated are school clubs for the protection of the environment. We are not only planting trees and projecting overall cleanliness but also amplifying same beyond the school environment.
The selected schools include Government Boys Secondary School, Elelenwo; Community Boys Secondary School, Elelenwo; Community Boys Secondary School Junior, Elelenwo; and Community Girls Secondary School, Elelenwo; and Government Secondary School, Onne.
Among other things, the selected schools were provided with the required materials including waste plastic bags and trees.
The firm also selected Government Secondary School, Onne and Community Secondary School, Ogu in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Rivers State for infrastructural upgrade.
The two learning institutions were rehabilitated and refitted even as some classrooms were provided with chairs, tables, and white boards.
In the same vein, the company unveiled a giant, solar-powered borehole alongside a befitting male and female toilets in school situated in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area.
The unveiling of the facilities was preceded with a brief lecture on the importance of good environment by the General Secretary of NES, Rivers Chapter, Dr. Olowu Emmanuel and an exhortation by the Principal of Boys Secondary School, Senior (BSS Senior), Dr. Alfred Wosa.
The event was witnessed by the students and teachers including Mrs. Nosike Jane (Senior Girls School), Justina Cookey (Vice Principal, Senior Girls), and Julia Nflan (a senior teacher).
The firm in a statement made available to Maritime Bits stated that Mr. Frank Loveday of NES, Rivers State Chapter inaugurated the students clubs.
Loveday words: “I hereby inaugurate the Environmental Club of these schools, namely Government Boys Secondary School, Elelenwo; Government Community Boys Secondary School, Elelenwo; Community Boys Secondary School Junior, Elelenwo; and Community Girls Secondary School, Elelenwo.”
The students were excited and motivated to carry out their roles as some of them including Dagogo Destiny, Christopher Godwin, Umor Samuel and Philip John got cash prizes that were redeemed on the spot.
Loveday charged the students to see themselves as leaders of tomorrow who must see themselves as protectors of the environment.
“If I say NES, your response is: Act, Think Sustainable Environment!” he charged the students.
He thanked SICL for fully and sincerely impacting the nation’s waters, moving upland to protect the land just as he stressed that except the land environment is protected and sustained, there could be consequences.
He described NES as a non-profit-making organization comprising pure minded professionals who have over the years taken time to develop themselves on environmental issues.
Said he: “As you know, the environment is our mainstay. It is our home. Everything we are going to be doing, we have been doing it and we will continue to do it. The environment is like an envelope that is housing us and it is our core responsibility not only to be a watchdog but to be participatory professionals by way of contributing our part and our quota in activities and actions that will help, not only to sustain, but also to manage the environment.
“It is on the premise of that we are here today to do this programme and we are doing it in conjunction with Starzs Investment Company Limited. This is an indigenous company that has since 1986 has been carrying out marine activities. It has shown distinction and I must emphasize distinction in the way their activities have been carried. We have often looked forward that indigenous companies will take the lead, as Starzs Investment Company Limited has done.”
He used the occasion to commend SICL for what it is doing in creating awareness and protecting the environment even as he enjoined other companies to emulate it.
Meanwhile, one of the employees of SICL, Mr. Adeyi Adeniyi has assured that the firm would continue to support and promote environmental protection and sustainability.
Adeniyi noted that Port Harcourt was once flaunted as the “garden city” and wondered why the environment was abandoned simply because crude oil was discovered.
He explained that trees aside from protecting man from the rays of the sun and houses against the winds, it also provide oxygen while filtering away carbon dioxide.
His words: “There is something we do as an organization. Basically, we go for trees that are medicinal or have medicinal value as well as the ones that are of economic value.
“Please note that the essence of our strategy is to ensure that while we are providing the economic value, we are also providing oxygen, we are protecting the environment, and we are also beautifying the environment.”
