The Federal Government announced on Monday that it would establish an environmental task force to address oil pollution and that it would hold International Oil Companies (IOCs) responsible for the severe environmental damage they have caused.
At the 12th National Regulatory Dialogue on Implementation of National Environmental Regulations, hosted by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in Abuja, the Minister of the Environment, Mr. Mohammed Abdullahi, made this statement.
According to Abdullahi, the goal of the debate was to fill in some gaps and create an adequate legal framework to meet both ongoing and new environmental concerns.
“The federal government is conscious of the state of environmental degradation in the country and is making strong effort in addressing the situation.
“The federal government is also making efforts toward effective management, conservation and protection of the biological resources in our environment for sustainable development.
“Accordingly, the federal government will henceforth hold the international oil companies accountable for the massive pollution of our environment and its ecosystem.
“Government is set to institute an environmental task force, especially on oil pollution, and will monitor, track, evaluate and sanction these erring companies and their local collaborators.
According to the minister, “pollution follows the frangrant abuse of our coastlines, mangroves, and natural habitats in the guise of prospecting or exploiting of our biodiversity resources.
“Government will apply the principles of the polluters’ pays’ to help in remediation efforts of polluted communities,” he said.
In order to ensure effective environmental protection and the implementation of national environmental policy, Abdullahi said that the Federal Government has put institutional framework and regulations in place.
According to him, the NESREA has created 35 national environmental regulations for several economic sectors.
The 35 regulations, he claimed, have been published in the gazette and are being applied all over the nation.
He stated that the organisation had examined eight regulations to remedy the found gaps.
“These regulations are not designed to stifle economic and industrial development but are put in place to safeguard human and sustainable use of the environmental resources.
“I, therefore, call on everyone, most especially the IOCs and industry operators, to carefully study these regulations and comply as government will not hesitate to sanction defaulters.
“As we strive to evolve and adopt different approaches and strategies in solving our environmental challenges, I wish to plead with us to work together to review these regulations.
“The effort will enable us protect our environment for future generation,” he said.
Concern over hitherto unheard-of environmental issues, particularly pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss, was raised by the minister.
He claimed that 350,000 to 400,000 hectares of woods are being lost globally each year, which is a startling rate.
However, he advised participants to support the national regulations as vigorously as they could, noting that compliance begins with awareness and sensitization.
Prof. Aliyu Jauro, Director-General of NESREA, stated that the discussion is a yearly programme to establish roles, share knowledge, and develop best practises to promote the development of efficient environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement in the nation.
He claimed that in order to direct the regulated community and other residents, the government has put in place environmental monitoring mechanisms like regulations, standards, and recommendations.
He urged all relevant parties to abide by the rules and guidelines, noting that they would be continually reviewed to address new environmental challenges.
