Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta said Namibia is drowning in her own waste of all sorts, including household, industrial and medical waste which are harmful to humans, animals and the environment.
Shifeta was speaking at the Commemoration of World Clean-Up Day in Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi Region on Saturday.
In his statement availed to Nampa, which was read on his behalf by Zambezi Region Governor Lawrence Sampofu, the minister said it is a concern to the government observing that Namibians are becoming used to waste to the extent that they have normalised being around filthy environments, and government is further concerned that the beautiful image of the country is tainted by the litter spreading all over.
“We are concerned over the general health and wellbeing of our citizens, as government we are concerned about soil, water and air pollution and the effect it has on the wellbeing of our citizens. We are concerned about environmental degradation and biodiversity loss due to pollution especially hazardous waste emanating from the health and chemical industries and the agricultural sectors,” he said.
Shifeta said Namibians should adopt sustainable lifestyles to safeguard the environment, in the end safeguard their livelihoods.
Filthy surroundings attract diseases in addition to the risk of harming the environment. As such, areas become breeding grounds for mosquitoes which transmit diseases like malaria, and the increasing sight of litter everywhere further makes homes, towns and cities unattractive to visitors and investors, gaining a bad reputation, he noted.
“Government through the line ministry introduced the plastic levy, and is currently considering a total ban on plastics as plastic pollution presents the greatest challenge to both terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity,” stated Shifeta.
He highlighted that it is common to spot all types of litter when travelling along national road networks across the country, and the same litter are scattered along the banks of ephemeral and perennial rivers and streams.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
