By Emeka Samuel, Uyo
The Director, Centre for Wetlands and Waste Management Studies, University of Uyo, Prof. Gabriel Umoh, has tasked the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency to wake up and implement all existing environmental laws.
Umoh, a professor of Agriculture and Development Economics of the University, stated this on Wednesday while addressing newsmen in commemoration of World
Environment Day in Uyo, with the theme “Beat Air Pollution”.
He said there are enough laws and guidelines serving as a framework against air pollution but the various regulatory agencies have not shown enough evidence of implementing them for the safety of all.
“In Nigeria there are laws and guidelines that are expected
to be a framework for guiding against air pollution. For Instance, the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency has been established with the national guidelines and standards for
environmental pollution and control in Nigeria”.
“Section 4.14 subsection 1 of the National policy on the environment makes for the complete utilization of produce associated gas to reduce gas flaring and production of greenhouse gases in line with this policy. This policy is in place but till now the oil and gas industries are still flaring gas”.
“This calls for immediate steps to be taken by the regulatory authorities to bring the operators of Oil and Gas sector to conform and comply with the policy.
“Some of these operators are multinational companies operating in other countries and they obey the rules and laws in those countries. But I think the problem here in Nigeria is enforcement. And this should serve as a wakeup call on NESREA and other agencies to effectively enforce the existing laws”.
He called on the state government and corporate organisations in the country to support the centre which he said has yet to come up with the requisite technology that would move waste management from the level of collection, conveyance and dumping at dumpsites to such a way that they don’t end up polluting the environment the more.
“The research centre like Wetlands and the Waste Management Studies Centre University of Uyo, needs the support of not only the University authority but government and development partners in collaborations with other agencies so that we can come up with technology that can
reduce the waste and air pollution that we have in Nigeria”.He said.
