A’Ibom Emerges Cleanest State In South-South

ABUJA
Akwa Ibom has won the prestigious State of Nigeria Environment (STONE) Green Crystal Award 2024 having emerged the cleanest State in South-South region.
The State emerged the winner during the seventh edition of the public presentation of STONE, tagged:“Stone 2024 Unplugged”, organised by the Clean-Up Nigeria (CUN).
The yearly Cleanliness Performance Index Rating, which took place, recently, in Abuja and chaired by Professor Solomon Balogun, recognised Akwa Ibom State as the cleanest state in the South-South, Enugu State in the South-East, Lagos State in the South-West, Plateau State in the North-Central, Bauchi State in the North-East, and Kaduna State in the North-West.
This was contained in a release signed by the national coordinator of CUN and secretary of the National Technical Study Group (NTSG), Prince Ene Baba Owoh, Jr. and made available to The Pioneer.
The release read in part, “STONE aims to highlight the importance of environmental cleanliness and sustainability in Nigeria, recognising the efforts of the six zonal cleanliness champions and encouraging others to follow suit.
  “In terms of waste management, only four states Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Abia, along with Lagos showed a 4 per cent improvement in procurement of waste management equipment in 2024. Funding for sanitation initiatives has also decreased, and the health of sanitation workers has deteriorated, with a drop from 31 per cent in 2023 to 28 per cent in 2024.
  “On a more positive note, nine states – Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Lagos, Kaduna, Plateau, Enugu, Cross River, Anambra, and Bauchi, scored above 40 per cent in overall performance ratings and can be considered clean.
The release further noted that “in terms of environmental cleanliness, nine states out of thirty-seven, including the FCT, (outside Abuja city) were found to have unclean streets and roads. Conversely, eight states have successfully managed and sustained vegetation and drainage control.
  “Unfortunately, waste recycling efforts have declined, dropping from 26 per cent in 2023 to 19 per cent in 2024. This decrease is attributed to the rising poverty levels in the country.”
The group posited that the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) rating utilises 58 environmental performance indicators across five key categories to rank the states, adding, “these categories encompass: Air quality, Hygiene and sanitation, Waste management, Climate change mitigation, Conservation efforts, biodiversity, water resource management, and human impact on the environment.
  “The EPI provides a comprehensive policy rating of government efforts and the collective habits of citizens, offering valuable insights for improvement.The study’s methodology combined physical verification with satellite imagery, allocating 30 per cent scores to physical verification and 70 per cent to satellite data.
  “The indicators used in the study aimed to promote comprehensive environmental policies targeting governments at all levels and citizens”, the release stated.
The 2024 zonal rating, according to the release, “has significant merits, expected to improve Nigeria’s national cleanliness index rating. The zonal emphasis rating fosters regional integration, making the competition more relevant to local environments.”
The group observed that, “by producing zonal cleanliness champions, each zone provides better representation, offering a more comprehensive picture of cleanliness across Nigeria.
  “Some states have already shown commitment to environmental sustainability. For instance, Akwa Ibom State recently launched massive improved waste equipment combined with the great Akwa Ibom cleanup initiative, Anambra State launched a sustainable clean and green program. Similarly, Kwara State applauded clean environment champions. These efforts demonstrate the potential for positive change in Nigeria’s environmental landscape.
  “The increased participation in the STONE initiative is expected to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility among citizens for their local environment. This, in turn, will enhance grassroots mobilization, empowering community leaders to champion the cause and facilitate effective data collection and analysis.
  “The zonal ratings will provide a more accurate assessment of strengths and weaknesses on a zonal basis, enabling states within each zone to benchmark themselves against one another. This will promote healthy competition, driving self-improvement and targeted interventions to address specific cleanliness challenges in each state.
  “The zonal approach will also facilitate interstate collaboration and partnership, promoting knowledge sharing and the incorporation of best practices. Ultimately, this will propel Nigeria towards a cleaner and healthier nation.
  “By highlighting successes and challenges in each zone, the zonal approach will inspire positive change and showcase best practices. This, in turn, will encourage states to learn from one another and adopt effective strategies to address their unique environmental challenges.
  “The ultimate goal of the STONE initiative is to create a more effective and engaging platform that drives positive change in Nigeria’s cleanliness and environmental sustainability. By doing so, we aim to increase STONE’s visibility, motivate zonal champions to emerge, and drive combined improvement at the national level.
  “Our approach promotes ownership of cleanliness efforts, providing necessary support and resources to ensure success”, the release further stated.
It noted, “The annual Cleanliness Performance Index Rating has consistently ranked Akwa Ibom State and Abuja as the cleanest State and town, respectively, for six consecutive years.”