Friday, September 19, 2025 - Management of Rite Foods Limited has called on Nigerians to take collective action to prevent further depletion of the ozone layer.
The company’s General Manager, Operations, Mr Olufemi
Ajileye, and Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Mr Ekuma Eze, made
the call during an interaction with journalists at the company’s factory in
Ososa, Ogun State, on Thursday.
The event was organised to mark this year’s International
Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, held on September 16 every year.
Forty years ago, nations signed the Vienna Convention for
the Protection of the Ozone Layer, committing to measures that would shield
people and the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Speaking, Ekuma stressed that conscious efforts to safeguard
the ozone layer had become even more urgent as Nigerians grappled with the
effects of climate change, including flooding and extreme weather.
He urged Nigerians to cut down on fossil fuel use, reduce
carbon emissions, and embrace renewable energy and sustainable practices.
Ekuma said, “We need to drastically reduce carbon emissions.
It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the ozone layer is not
depleted, and the only way you can do that is through sustainability practices.
“Let people in their different corners imbibe sustainability
practices. It is a collective responsibility. In our organisation, we are
saving what would have depleted the ozone layer. By not using diesel, we save
the ozone layer from carbon emissions. We are repurposing carbon that should
have gone into the ozone layer.”
He noted that the unpredictability of weather patterns in
recent years was a clear sign of climate change.
“During my school days, you could say that by the end of
October, there would be no more rain; by November, you had harmattan. But you
can’t say that these days. It still rains in December. It is the effect of
climate change.
“What causes climate change is the depletion of the ozone
layer. The farmer-herder crisis is partly caused by climate change because the
Niger Basin is drying up, so they no longer have vegetation to feed the cattle
and have to migrate south.
“Within the week, the government issued a warning regarding
flooding in some states. These are the impacts of climate change. So it is our
collective responsibility to protect the environment. We need to save the
environment and create awareness,” he added.
Ekuma also highlighted the company’s Rite on the Beach
initiative, which recovers plastic waste and converts it into school bags
distributed to indigent students in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital
Territory.
On his part, Ajileye said Rite Foods had cut down its
reliance on diesel in its operations.
According to him, the company currently runs on 92 per cent
gas, 6.5 per cent automotive gas oil and 1.5 per cent solar.
He added that the firm was scaling up renewable energy use
across its operations, noting that its forklifts now run on electricity instead
of diesel.
Ajileye also listed the company’s Corporate Social
Responsibility pillars as education, youth empowerment, environmental
stewardship and community engagement.
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