The Ibom Programme on Environmental Awareness (IPEA), an initiative of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment & Mineral Resources in partnership with ExxonMobil, has held a training workshop for advocacy team members in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The one-day training was designed to empower IPEA personnel to effectively enlighten people at motor parks, schools, abattoirs, restaurants and other locations as part of the recently-launched environmental awareness campaign in Akwa Ibom State.
The Ibom Programme on Environmental Awareness (IPEA) is an initiative aimed at creating awareness on pollution, and helping the citizens of Akwa Ibom state develop positive environmental values that will enable them manage instances of environmental pollution that may occur, as well as prevent potential environmental hazards from happening.
In his remark at the training, the General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mr. Paul Arinze, represented by Mrs Regina Udobong, called on the participants to live up to expectation on the campaign. According to her, ‘ExxonMobil expects the participants to take full advantage of the training programme to sharpen their skills to educate target audiences and encourage best practices to curtail all kinds of environmental pollution – air, water and earth pollution’.
Mr. Arinze reiterated ExxonMobil’s commitment to the environment which has been demonstrated by the company’s partnership with Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment & Mineral Resources to achieve a cleaner and safer environment.
Declaring the training open, the Commissioner for Environment & Mineral Resources, Prince Enobong Uwah, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Mineral Resources, Mrs Atim Enoh, commended ExxonMobil for supporting the environmental awareness campaign. According to him ‘the State Ministry of Environment & Mineral Resource is grateful to ExxonMobil for sponsorship of IPEA. This gesture by ExxonMobil reflects its commitment to cleaner environment in Akwa Ibom State’.
Prince Uwah advised the participants to make good use of the opportunity offered by the training to ensure that objectives of campaign were achieved.
The training witnessed presentations by resource persons including Dr. James Asuquo, a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo and Mr. Stephen Erakpotobar, an environmental expert. The training focused on key issues such as sources of water, air and land pollution and remedies and behavioural change communication in environmental management.
It will be recalled that the Ibom Programme on Environmental Awareness was launched on June 5, 2013 in Uyo by Governor Godswill Akpabio.
