[center]Plogging Nigeria sets record with biggest Campus Cleanup Exercise in Nigeria[/center]

[center]"511 Volunteers with over 700 bags of wastes cleaned within hours!"
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Such record numbers were documented at the UNN Campus Cleanup held on Saturday, February, 2020 at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.

The cleanup organised by the Plogging Nigeria Club in the University was led by the club Principal and Head Ploggas, Ayodeji Omilabu and Chris Ikechi respectively. The exercise was carried out with the support of the Student Affairs Department, Directorate of Youth Friendly Center, Directorate of Strategic Contacts, Ethics and Publications and Environmental Committee of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The cleanup aimed to encourage students participation in promotion of sustainable environment, especially in the area of practices around solid waste. In Mr. Omilabus's words, "The experience from our Plogging Episodes which has been focused on solid waste handling and management, drew our attention to the unsatisfactory state of the University environment, particularly the hostels and business areas of the university. This motivated the decision to host a major cleanup exercise where we could get everyone to participate as Plogging Nigeria Club UNN has taken it upon herself to lead environmental sanitation interventions fortnightly on this campus."

The cleanup exercise was a very inclusive one with people from different strata and age groups in the University participating. Of major highlight was the surprise presence of Mr. Ezekiel, a specially abled student who actively participated in the cleanup. Children, youths and adults from around the campus came out in numbers to throw energy behind the exercise. UNN staff were not left out of the exercise as top University officials graced the cleanup too: Mr. Paul Oranu - ICT Director;
Youth-friendly Centre Director - Ambassador Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Abada; Chief Security Officer - Mr. Christian Alumona;
Mr. Laz Ekeke - SSA to the Vice-Chancellor; the University Public Relations Officer - Chief Dr. Okun Omeaku, all members of the Environmental Committee, UNN led by Engr. Dr. Chigbo A. Mgbemene, Ayobami Odubiyi and Dr. Neneka Okafor - Plogging Nigeria Club UNN staff advisers. A lecturer from the Department of Social Studies Education attended the cleanup with all her students.

The Head Plogga of the club, Chris Ikechi reported that "this cleanup was a forum to strengthen our commitment as University students in furthering the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, especially in this Decade of Action."

The cleanup exercise which lasted for about 3 hours 45 minutes got hundreds of students appending their signatures to a pledge to keep the den(UNN Campus) clean.

The cleanup was also supported by the Rotary Club of Nsukka, Rotaract Club of Nsukka, Ideal Life City, Lagos Waste Reporter, SPE, YANGG, Smart Resource Nigeria, LionFM, UNN Life and the UNN Medical Center.

Mr. Mayokun Iyaomolere, the founder of Plogging Nigeria in his comments about the cleanup expressed excitement about the number of volunteers involved in the cleanup and the volume of wastes cleared. In his words, "I knew the UNN Campus Cleanup was going to be massive as the club had put in so much efforts for months now to make it happen. I didn't anticipate these huge numbers though. It's become pacesetting exercise for the rest of us in Plogging Nigeria as we hope to do more with all our clubs in the future. Most importantly though, I am glad that large numbers are getting actively involved in the responsible waste handling agenda of Plogging Nigeria and the Environment sector in general. We hope to continue to provide more platforms as this to engage more people."

Plogging Nigeria is an organisation with a vision to birth" Fit People in Clean Communities". The fast growing organisation currently has clubs in 14 institutions around Nigeria. They are present as @ploggingnigeria on [url]Twitter[/url], [url]Facebook[/url], [url]Instagram[/url] and [url]LinkedIn[/url].

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