NPA to Enforce Laws against Port Environmental Pollutions

Eromosele Abiodun

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that it would further ensure that its actions do not impact negatively on the environment through relevant national and International laws, regulations and conventions aimed at attaining a port environment devoid of pollution, oil chemical spills and bio hazards.

Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman stated this while addressing stakeholders at an event marking World Environment Day 2017 with the theme, ‘Connecting people to nature’ in Lagos.

She added that this year’s event could not have come at a better time in view of the need to bridge the widening gap being faced by the inhabitants who have failed to understand the synergy that touches on the concepts, ‘People and Nature’.

Usman, who was represented by the General Manager Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Yusuf Ahmed, further reiterated that the human environment needs to be properly understood in terms of the basic laws and regulations which need to be strictly followed at all times by the inhabitants.

In her words: “We are to take a critical look at our attitude to the environment and consciously care for it by willingly complying with environmental laws and standards, using friendly technologies and methods in our industrial processes and productions.”

In his address, the Executive Director Marine and Operations, NPA, Dr. Sekonte Davies charged stakeholders to assiduously come up with relevant laws and guidelines that would effectively assist in the growth of our environment.
He noted that the expected changes in the environment can be achieved aside these relevant laws by the decision of the individuals in the environment to have a change in attitude in their ways of doing things.

Specifically, he said: “Doing the right things would always curb the waste of time and resources by relevant agencies of government towards achieving environmental growth.’’

Meanwhile, the host and the General Manager, Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Ahmed affirmed that the annual event is a day set aside by the United Nations to remind humanity that the earth was a single entity that needs to be taken care of with all intent and purposes.

He stated that the event, which began in 1974, marked the beginning of the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which initially took place in Stockholm in 1972.

“It witnessed the discussions on the connectivity as it relates to human interactions and the environment. It was agreed by participants that the challenges facing the environment brought by man had become a problem which needed to be resolved expeditiously through International Cooperation,” he stated.
According to Ahmed, papers presented at this year’s event attempted at exploring the environment and appreciate its beauty since it needs to be properly harnessed for the benefit of all.

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