The Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Terseer Ugbor, has commended the passage of the Nigeria Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, describing it as landmark legislation.
Ugbor disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja in commemoration of World Environment Day (WED).
World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated annually on June 5.
The lawmaker expressed satisfaction over the successful passage of the bill which had completed its third and final reading in the House of Representatives.
He said the bill would be sent to the Senate for concurrence.
“This landmark legislation will enhance Nigeria’s capacity to address wildlife trafficking, empower judges to expedite the adjudication of wildlife crime cases, and impose more stringent penalties on offenders.”
Ugbor, a member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue State in North Central Nigeria, who is also the sponsor of the bill, said that once assented to by the President, the legislation would address the deficiencies in tracking illicit financial flows.
He added that the bill would also enforce more stringent laws along Nigeria’s borders, bolstering efforts to combat illegal activities.
According to him, the bill is pivotal in combating the illegal wildlife trade and safeguarding Nigeria’s iconic wildlife populations.
“The bill conveys an unambiguously clear message that Nigeria will not tolerate the exploitation of its borders for the trafficking of illegal wildlife products, such as pangolin scales and elephant tusks.
“By modernising our laws, we aspire to ensure that future generations can continue to reap the ecological and economic benefits of our rich biodiversity.”
Ugbor said that coordinated security operations in the open border regions through the southeastern area to the Middle Belt, a major nexus for transit, would mitigate the influx of unidentified and illegal immigrants to curb insecurity in the country.
“The bill will be presented to the Senate for concurrence and forwarded to the President for final endorsement,’’ he said.
He said that the bill to repeal and reenact the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act to include the social and health impacts of both public and private sector projects was also underway in the House of Representatives.
Ugbor assured the timely passage of the bill.