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By Maduka Nweke with Agency report
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has closed 46 facilities across 10 states in Nigeria due to various violations of the National Environmental Regulations (NERs). This action was detailed in a circular signed on Friday, July 5, 2024, in Abuja by Mrs. Amaka Ejiofor, NESREA’s assistant director of press.
According to the circular, these violations occurred in the states of Borno, Gombe, Ogun, Enugu, Edo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Taraba. The breaches included infractions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act and the failure of these facilities to develop and implement an Environmental Management Plan (EMP).
Additional reasons for the shutdowns, as stated by Mrs. Ejiofor, included the lack of effluent treatment plants, the inability to obtain necessary operational permits, poor housekeeping practices, and failure to submit comprehensive Environmental Audit Reports (EARs), among other issues.
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The director general of NESREA, Dr. Innocent Barikor, expressed his disappointment over the non-compliance status of many facilities, highlighting the significant risks posed to both the environment and public health. “It is disheartening that these errant facilities carried on their operations in a manner that endangered the environment despite Notices of Compliance Concerns served on them as required by law,” Dr. Barikor lamented.
Dr. Barikor emphasized NESREA’s commitment to enforcing the 35 NERs, stressing that violators would face appropriate penalties to ensure effective management of environmental practices and societal growth. “We will continue to uphold the regulations and ensure that offenders are held accountable,” he asserted.
Furthermore, Dr. Barikor called on Nigerians to act as environmental stewards by adhering to environmental laws and reporting any violations. “I encourage Nigerians to be true environmental vanguards by obeying the laws and reporting any environmental violations,” he said.
NESREA’s action underscores the agency’s dedication to maintaining environmental standards and protecting public health through strict enforcement of regulations. The closure of these facilities serves as a stern warning to other establishments about the importance of compliance with environmental laws and the potential consequences of negligence.
