Nesrea Spoils For Ecological War In Niger Delta

Nesrea Spoils For Ecological War In Niger Delta

THE National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is currently spoiling for an environmental war in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's honey comb. To this end, the agency is pressing the governors of the nine oil-producing states in the country for partnership to tackle the environmental problems in the oil and gas region.

Director-General of the agency, Dr Ngeri Benebo, made the call on the oil-producing states to partner with NESREA in order to tackle disturbing environmental degradation in the region and the country in general.

She was speaking at a technical training workshop for staff of the agency as well as those of the Rivers State Ministry of Environment in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital yesterday. Mrs. Benebo warned that unless environmental challenges in the country are taken more seriously, there can be no sustainable development.

“Environmental matters are now in the front burner of global issues because of the strategic importance and intrinsic linkage with sustainable development. Environmental problems in Nigeria are multi-dimensional and vary in different ecological zones. There are also emerging environmental problems such as e-waste. We are aware that the environment is the bedrock of sustainable development and protecting the Nigerian environment is the business of all” she said.

Continuing, she pointed out that as a result of recent media reports, the country has become notorious for the dumping of toxic materials, adding, NESREA has taken measures to protect both the environment and Nigerians.

“Recently, there were reports in some Nigerian dailies about the dumping of toxic waste at the Alaba International market in Lagos, and we immediately swing into action and investigated the reports. We found out that the toxic waste in question is the importation of unserviceable electrical and electronic appliances'', she said.

“I want to assure Nigerians that we are determined to ensure that effective and efficient methods of disposal of these categories of e wastes are deployed to ensure that the environment and indeed the health of Nigerians are not compromised'', the NESREA boss said..

She, however, blamed the increase on the importation of unserviceable electrical and electronic materials into the country on ‘rapid technological improvement’ which has given rise to newer and safer models forcing the developed countries to ship the older ones to the developing world.

On the technical training for members of the agency, Mrs Benebo said since ‘NESREA mandate is to enforce all Environmental regulations and laws in the country, the Agency needs competent and well trained core of staff to enable it fulfill its national and international obligations for the present and future generations’.

In his remark, the Rivers state Commissioner for Environment, Chibuno Chinda said the Rivers state government has taken measures to ensure that environmental regulations are complied with by persons and companies operating in the state.

He charged NESREA to enforce all environmental regulations in the country pointing out that as far as the oil-producing states were concerned, ''NESREA is the NAFDAC of the environment in the country’'.

ENDS

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