National Council on Environment calls for increased funding to boost the sector
Zeniat Abubakar Abuja.
The National Council on Environment, NCE has called for increased funding and provision of Public-Private Partnership in view of the increasing emerging environmental challenges and threat to human life and development in the sector.
This formed part of the Council Resolutions at the 15th NCE meeting and the extensive deliberations on all the issues related to the Memoranda presented.
The Council said the funds will also ensure completion of the Federal Ministry of Environment’s on-going projects that are experiencing implementation delays located in different States across Nigeria due to poor funding,
The Minister of State for Environment and Chairman of the Council, Sharon Ikeazor presented a total of one hundred and sixty nine Memorandum to the Council after which Council approved forty action Memoranda, stepped down ninety three and took note of thirty six Memoranda.
She said that the Council also noted the emerging challenges of waste/plastic pollution and the opportunities in their management using the principles approach of circular economy, and called for the adoption of the principle and development of a national programme, framework and strategy for its implementation in Nigeria.
“The Council also urged all state governments to close all open dumpsites in their territory and upgrade those that can be upgraded or establish sanitary engineered landfill by 2030. States are also urged to adopt approaches in line with the principle of circular economy, green growth and natural capital accounting.”
“The Council noted the increase in the number of financial memoranda being submitted to the council and urged members to send only policy memos to the council for consideration, and commended the Ministry of Environment for the development and launching of the National Policies on Solid Waste Management and Plastic Waste Management and urged the three tiers of Government to give full commitment to its implementation.” Ikeazor said.
The Council however noted the need to address the issue of contaminated mining sites across the country to reduce the adverse impact on the environment and human lives and directs the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to commence verification of active and abandoned mining sites and its environment for possible contamination of heavy metals and remediation where appropriate.
“Nigeria as a party to the UNFCCC has updated its Nationally Determined Contributions with additional sectors for implementation towards meeting global greenhouse gas emissions, and urged States to align with national commitments and develop green projects in partnership with development partner to meet obligations to the Paris Agreement.”
“All States Ministry of Environment should enforce their extant environmental laws to safeguard the environment. Council noted the current challenges of flooding and erosion in the country with the attendant consequences on lives and properties including its impact on sustainable economic growth and development, and urged the Federal Government to improve her approaches on tackling the menace to safeguard infrastructure and protect lives and property, through strategic action including waste management to avoid drainage blockages, compliance monitoring for building standards and codes as well as adequate flood control systems in our infrastructural development.”
On the siting and development of petroleum products Tank Farms and other oil and gas facilities across the 36 States of Federation and in the Federal Capital Territory, the Council said that States Planning Departments/Agencies should synergize with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and relevant Departments/Agencies in the Ministry of Environment to forestall further indiscriminate siting of such facilities.
“On reclamation of Abandoned mine pits, the Federal Ministry of Environment to synergize with the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development or relevant Department to reclaim such pits across the nation in line with regulatory standards and to alternate environment- friendly purposes. The Council explained that all States Ministry of Environment should enforce their extant environmental laws to safeguard the environment’’ The Council stated.
The Council also stressed the need to resuscitate the fourteen Community Herbal Heritage Centers established in 1992 nationwide and the continuous support for development of Community Herbal Heritage Center Otun in Ekiti State, South west Nigeria in line with the post 2020 global biodiversity framework.
It further called for a more strengthened interaction between States and the Federal Ministry of Environment through virtual meetings and other means to be abreast with the activities of the Ministry particularly projects that are content within the States across the country.
The Council at its 15th meeting held in Abuja the Nation’s capital with the theme “Appraisal of the Emerging Environmental Challenges and the Opportunities in the Environment Sector: A Call for Actions towards the Environment of Our Dream”, received and evaluated a total of One Hundred and Sixty-Nine Memoranda from both Federal and State Ministries of Environment as well as the Federal Capital Territory, FCT and made recommendations for onward presentation to Council for consideration.
