Ministry to partner with Institute on environmental sustainability
BY Zeniat Abubakar Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Environment has expressed determination to partner with the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria (IEPN) on environmental sustainability.
Nigeria’s Minister of Environment Mr Balarabe Lawal stated this at the inauguration ceremony of the 1st Governing Council of IEPN, held in Abuja the nation’s capital.
Lawal who was represented by Dr Olubunmi Olusanya, Director Pollution Control and Environmental Health in the ministry assured that they would unlock all the potentials in the environment sector and regulate environmental professionalism.
Chairman of Governing Council of IEPN, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye President said that the institute was saddled with the responsibility of regulating the activities of its members in the protection of the Nigerian environment.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era in Environmental Governance and Ecosystem Management in Nigeria. It was not an easy task going through the process of signing the IEPN establishment Act into Law.
“Nothing signposts man’s apparent failure to protect Mother Nature than our apathy in combating climate change challenges.
“As a matter of fact, the symbiotic relationship between man and the environment seem to have collapsed. Every passing day presents daunting environmental challenges interfering with ecosystem matrices such as water, air, land and man,” he said.
The President reassured that it behooves on all, to ensure the sustainability of the Nigerian environment saying that the primary mandate of the council is to protect the environment by regulating the activities of environment users in order to proffer environmental justice.
He commended the Federal Government of Nigeria for signing the IEPN Act into Law.
