Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja
The Minister of the Environment, Mr. Mohammad Abubakar has expressed support for
creating a national regulatory council for environmental managers in Nigeria.
Abubakar made the promise over the weekend in his office when a delegation of the Environmental Management Association of Nigeria (EMAN) visited him.
The association is pushing for the passage of the Environmental Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ERMCON) Bill into an Act of the National Assembly.
The minister said: “Environmental management requires regulations; there is the need for a framework to protect the environment. I assure you that the bill would be looked into and I promise to advise the president on its implementation.”
The minister noted that environmental degradation remained the most challenging issue facing the country stating that sustainable environmental management required addressing issues on climate change, forestry, drought, deforestation and desertification.
According to him, building synergy and implementation of policies are key to consolidating Nigeria’s environmental challenges and providing considerable opportunities for the teaming youths.
He charged the association to use its good network to create new emerging technologies for eradication of plastic waste, use of renewable energy, deployment of climate smart agriculture, building resilience in key sectors of the economy like housing, transport, and health, education and water sectors as it would ensure the economy was structured towards building national resilience in the face of burning environmental degradation and climate change.
The Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang emphasized the importance of a law that would help regulate the profession to help in sustainable the use of the environment.
Another member of the delegation, Prof. Valarie Nnodu, told the minister that they were there to solicit for his support over the EMRCON bill. And to seek his partnership in protecting the environment.
Nnodu who was represented by the National Secretary, Dennis Nebedum, said, “We are here to solicit for your support over the EMRCON bill and we pray you to use your good offices to secure Mr President’s consideration and assent to the bill.
He said: “Presently there’s no professional body that is saddled with the responsibility of regulating the practice of environmental management in Nigeria. The national council on establishment, having recognized this fact, approved the scheme of service prepared by EMAN in order to facilitate the approval of the EMRCON.”
He used the opportunity to seek a partnership between the EMAN and the ministry in order to achieve a good and sustainable environment in Nigeria.
He explained that, EMAN is a professional body for environmental managers. Membership of the association is made-up of persons who have undergone formal training and obtained the requisite qualification in environmental management/environmental technology.
