The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) says it will impose sanctions on facilities for non-compliance to environmental laws and regulations.
Amaka Ejiofor, Assistant Director (Press), NESREA, announced this in a statement in Abuja.
She said the agency would embark on a fresh round of compliance monitoring exercises to facilities in and around the Federal Capital Territory to exact compliance from erring facilities.
She said the exercise would be followed by an enforcement action where facilities would be sanctioned for crimes against the environment.
More so, the Director-General of NESREA, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, said that his office was daily besieged by Nigerians with complaints bordering on the activities of facilities.
“My office is besieged daily by Nigerians with complaints bordering on the activities of facilities and the negative impact on their health and the environment.
“Notice of compliance concerns had been served on the facilities and many have refused to abate their infractions on the environment.
“This time, the agency is going ahead to impose sanctions and prosecute defaulters where necessary.
“We are starting off with the FCT but the exercise will get to all states of the Federation.
“We are at a point where we must do all it takes to protect our environment because it is a basic necessity for our survival on planet Earth,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NESREA is the foremost environmental enforcement agency charged with the responsibility of enforcing all environmental laws, guidelines, policies, standards and regulations in Nigeria.
It also has the power to prohibit processes and the use of equipment or technology that undermine environmental quality.
The agency has the mandate to enforce compliance with the provisions of international agreements, protocols, conventions and treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.
