Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu and Others Honored as Fellows by the Nigerian Environmental Society”

The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) has conferred Honorary Fellowship on the Member Representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu. The award was presented yesterday during the 32nd Annual Conference of NES held at Nike Lake Hotels in Enugu.

The conferment followed the decision of the NES Board of Trustees, College of Fellows, and National Executive Council to recognize the many contributions of Hon. Atu toward environmental protection and preservation. According to the National President of NES, Dr. Efegbidiki Okobia, “the Society has taken note of Hon. Atu’s unwavering sacrifices toward the preservation of the environment.” Dr. Okobia noted that recently, Hon. Atu presented two bills in the National Assembly critical to a healthy and sustainable environment. The bills pertain to the establishment of the Nigerian Coal Commission in Enugu and Erosion Prevention and Control in Enugu.

Others who received the award include Dr. Yusuf Bukar, Mr. Henry Bassey, Rt. Hon. Saviour Enyiekere, Mr. Odu Dermot, and many others.

Responding, Hon. Atu said, “This honorary fellowship reminds me that I am still the son of a great farmer and a lover of the environment. My father retired as a staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. As a young man, he taught my siblings and me the need to protect the environment at all costs. So I grew up loving the environment. I grew up with the complete sense that when we fail to protect the environment, the environment will revolt and destroy us.”

Atu added that, “the theme of the conference also reminds us that there is a relationship between the Environment, Security, and Sustainable Development. This honor is a call to duty. Although, at a personal level, I have continued to work hard to protect and preserve the environment. “

“As a Federal Lawmaker, I recently presented a bill to repeal the old Nigerian Coal Corporation and establish the Nigerian Coal Commission. The idea of the bill is to help the State government put an end to illegal coal mining in Enugu State and other states. This is because illegal mining destroys the environment and breeds insecurity.”

” The Commission, when established, will focus on how to develop solar cells from coal. That is the new research area. I have also presented another bill that will establish the Erosion Control and Prevention Commission in Enugu. This commission, when established, will deal with erosion issues in the South East.”