Guardian

LAWMAKERS, government officials and other stakeholders last week at the National Conference on Environment, lamented the absence of holistic approach in  safeguarding the Nigerian environment from further deterioration.

The stakeholders sought for solution to environment challenges like desertification and drought, ocean surge and coastal erosion, oil and gas pollution, flooding as well as the provision of waste management infrastructures.  They also agreed that the review of some environmental and policies will improve human health, promote economic growth and engender sustainable development.

Chairman of House Committee on Environment, Uche Ekwunife who set the tune of the Conference held in Abuja, recently organized by the Committee said, members recently concluded a public hearing on the Bill which, when passed into law, will bring back sanitary inspectors in the country.

Ekwunife pointed out that protecting the environment was the responsibility of all stakeholders including industries, indigenous groups, environmental groups and the general population, adding: “when the environment is abused and neglected, poverty and instability follow. When it is nurtured, well being and prosperity flourish.”

While expressing the commitment of the National Assembly to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry of environment and its agencies, the lawmaker explained that the parliament has taken pragmatic steps to create the awareness and sensitization that put environmental issues on the front burner .

She disclosed that the Committee was also in the process of amending the NOSDRA Act, adding that the proposed amendment seeks to strengthen NOSDRA with the statutory power to charge adequate fines, introduce criminal offenses and penalties in order to ensure strict compliance with all existing environmental legislation in the petroleum sector among others.

Ekwunife noted that every environmental problem has causes, effects as well as solutions. According to her, the purpose of the conference was to “bring together major public and private sector organizations involved in environmental activities to deliberate and agree on a common agenda for environmental sustainability.

Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who was represented by the House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila tasked the stakeholders to take actions aimed at reducing pollution among other degradation and save energy.

“The overwhelming evidence posed by the devastating impact of gully erosions in the South East, coastal erosions and ocean surge in the South-South, desertification and crippling drought in the North, and heavy rainfalls in 2012 which resulted in the floods that affected over 27 of the 36 states of the Federation”, the Speaker said the country cannot afford anymore wrong turns.

The Minister for Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia urged the stakeholders to earnestly work together to achieve the feat of national development and equally secure the future through the prudent utilization of limited human and material resources, and ensure the effective translation of Environmental Policies into practical initiative that can demonstrate the value of sustainable management of the environment.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State who was represented by the First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun said said environment-related issues have become one of the most topical matters in the world agenda today.

She said that evidence has shown that the impacts of environmental crisis have become major threats to the survival and sustainable development of humanity.

“Some of the biggest challenges our world is facing are associated with the environment. Apart from natural calamities, harmful human activities have continued to stress the ecosystem. We have a responsibility to work together to re-build and replant that which we have destroyed.

“We need to take action to prevent wastage of fuel, keep our neighborhood clean, and take proper measures in reducing pollution and save energy,” he stressed.

Others who spoke yesterday included, the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, and the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar.

“In order to decide what actions we should take it is crucial to have the best possible information on what we actually know for sure about our environment, climate change and its projected effects. We must then take conscious steps at the national, state, local and even at personal level to reduce the ever-growing risks associated with climate change,” Amosun said.

The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke in his submission sought effective laws that will reduce emission in line with international standards.

Imoke was represented by Mr. Odinga Odinga advocated for effective laws on gas flaring and oil pollution, rampant deforestation and urgent action on erosion poor waste management “that degrades our environment.

He further stated: “As a mark of good governance, the signing of environmental treaties, of desert encroachment, erosion, and pollution should be backed with strong legislation and action to protect the environment.”

The Governor of Kogi, Idris Wada listed the environmental challenges inn the state, as flood, erosion, the topography, absence of modern techniques of waste management, deforestation and windstorm.