Although Boulos Enterprises Limited used this year’s Suzuki world Beach cleaning campaign held in Lagos Nigeria to remind fishing communities of the danger of using two-stroke outboard engines, what participants would not forget soon was the fact that they had to wear life jackets, because this year’s venue is assessable only by boat, reports ROTIMI ASHER, Motoring World’s Lagos Bureau Chief…
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s part of its Corporate Social Responsibility conceptualized to improve safety and other living conditions of the ecological system, particularly fishing communities, Boulos Enterprises Limited in conjunction with Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan, last week, carried its World Beach Cleaning Campaign to snake Island beach, a leisure resort at the outskirt of Lagos.
This year’s campaign, eight edition, was again supported by Lagos State government, through the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture.
The venue, Inagbe Grand Resort, Snake Island, via Tin Can, Apapa, a place enveloped by an atmosphere of serenity has both Lagoon and Beach front.
The beach cleanup witnessed a large turnout from three fishing communities involved in the cleaning exercise. Even Boulos staffs were not left out in the exercise, which commenced after participants had been educated about the importance of a clean environment and the danger of using two-stroke outboard engines.
With music, light refreshment and distribution of gifts to the communities, this year’s event held in Nigeria is best described as beach cleaning with fanfare.
Addressing newsmen after the event, the Corporate Sales Manager, Boulos Enterprises Limited, Austin Obahor said, ‘’ the beach cleanup campaign, a worldwide event from Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, is held in many countries like USA, United Kingdom, Philippine and others, where we have Suzuki products. It is a corporate social responsibility efforts, aimed at helping fishing communities to clean up their environment.
‘’ As you know, cleaning the environment is something we do from time to time in this country, but here in the coastal area, they don’t attach importance to cleaning. They believe the sea will carry away the dirt. So they do not really care about environmental cleanup. This is why Suzuki Motor Corporation introduced this cleanup to make sure fishing communities are clean, knowing that dirt can impact negatively on the, fish if not cleaned.’’
Explaining further, he said, ‘’ we are working with these fishing communities. We have their interest at heart, because they are our customers and clients. We sell to them our outboard engines. They are the reason why we are in business. As a way of given back to these communities, we have to use this platform to educate the fishermen more about our products; urging them to use four stroke outboard engine instead of two strokes.’’
Obahor also stressed the danger of using two-stroke engine.
“Two strokes are dirty,” he warned, adding, “It pollutes the environment and causes cancer. It’s been banned since 2011 and yet people are still using them. We have to continue to educate fishing communities on the need to stop the use of two strokes engine. We are using this beach cleaning campaign to propagate the same message. Cleanliness is synonymous with four strokes because it is clean. That is what they ought to use to do their fishing.’’
When asked about the uniqueness of this year beach cleanup, Obahor who incidentally had traveled to many fishing communities across Nigeria to represent his company said: ‘’we have been trying to reach these three communities for a while. You can see that we could not reach them except by boat. It is unique because we have to travel by boat wearing our life jackets.
“Also unique is the fact that three communities were reached at a time. These communities are Okun Glass, Bobukogi and Kopiano. We are happy we have large turnout. We have taken advantage of the opportunity to preach the gospel of cleaning and the use of four strokes outboard engine.’’
The Baale of Okun Glass, Chief Ismaila Musa commended Boulos for organizing what to him was a laudable event.
He said: ‘’I am glad that this event is done in our community. This is the first time this kind of event is held here.You can see that our people are happy. If possible we want the company to do the same next year.
“Although this beach is cleaned by Inagbe Grand Resort even my children are among the cleaners, but with this sensitization, we will combine effort with the company to ensure the beach remain clean.’’
Suzuki Cleanup World campaign is organized annually all over the world by Suzuki Motor Corporation and its representatives (Boulos Enterprises Limited in Nigeria, for instance) in countries where Suzuki products are sold to sensitize general public in the riverine communities, where people enjoy boating and fishing on the need to have a good sanitation to ensure a clean and healthy environment.
