Why we must use our natural resources wisely — 11-yr-old student

An 11-year-old student of the Springhall British Primary School, Miss Oluwateniola Olowoporoku, has advocated for better use of the country’s natural resources.

Olowoporoku spoke during a student capacity programme, tagged, “Head Girl Initiative” with the theme: “Natural Resource Governance” at the Springhall British School, Abuja.

Olowoporoku who is the Head Girl of the School (Primary Section) noted that Nigeria was blessed with different natural resources but she cautioned against abuse of these resources.

She said, “Nigeria is blessed with so many natural resources like trees, water, minerals, and even fresh air! They’re super important because they help us live our lives every day. We use trees to make paper for our books, water to drink and grow food, and minerals to make things like cars and phones.

“But here’s the thing: these resources aren’t endless. That means we have to be careful about how we use them. And that’s where natural resource governance comes in.

“Natural resource governance is like having rules and plans to make sure we use our resources wisely. It’s about making sure everyone gets a fair share and that we protect the environment too, because if we don’t take care of our resources, they might disappear one day.

“As students and future leaders, we have a crucial role to play in advocating for and implementing better natural resource governance. One way is by learning more about where things come from and how they’re made. Most importantly, is by speaking up and asking our leaders to make good decisions about our resources”.

Speaking in the same vein, Executive Director, Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Faith Nwadishi, noted that the initiative was about catching them young for better use of the nation’s natural resources.

She said, “I must congratulate the head girl and her parents for thinking this through. It is an opportunity to educate young people on natural resource governance and the role that they have to play.

“Most times we take it for granted that young people do not need to know this, so we will keep talking at that level. And we know that it is these same young people that grow up to be legislators and politicians, who should make the rules to help govern the system.

“So it is about catching them young and making them understand that they are all part and parcel of the natural resource and they have a role to play.

“It also helps them to think about what kind of career they will like to build around the protection of the natural resources that we have in the world”.

Also speaking, Executive Director, Extractive360, Juliet Alohan Ukanwosu, highlighted the importance of grooming the younger generation on issues like this.

According to her, “It’s cliche that the young generation are the future of tomorrow. The leadership of this nation rests on their shoulders. The amount of values and knowledge that we impact in them today, is what will shape the adults and leaders they become tomorrow.