EHCON to go tough on regulated premises, abattoirs others

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON),said it will go tougher on regulated premises such as the abattoirs, filling stations and places where fuel explorations are taking place.
The Registrar/CEO Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) Dr. Yakubu Baba Mohammed made this known during the Council’s courtesy visit to Daily Trust Newspaper, a publication of Media Trust Limited at their headquarters in Abuja, recently.
This was contained in a statement signed and issued by Head, Public Affairs by Mrs. Jummai R. Ahmed.
Mohammed revealed that there are so many vehicle transmission disease happening within the regulated premises.
“What is happening at abattoirs is one of the major causes of cancer in Nigeria, apart from the poor sanitation and hygiene, you will see a lot of smoke activities coming out as a result of smoke from tyre used in roasting meat.
“The smoke itself affects the ozone layer and contribute significantly to the issue of climate change”, he noted.
He further disclosed that, the Council is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to provide a smart abattoir, where generated waste that contain a lot of virus can be converted into bio-gas.
According to the Council boss, “with the support of the Federal Ministry of Environment, the council has established the first environmental health reference laboratory.
“EHCON has over fifty thousand environmental health officers who have been empowered by law,the environment can be adequately policed by them”, he said.
Meanwhile, he called for collaboration between his organization and Daily Trust media and other Media organizations .
“We deem it fit to start visiting Media organizations in order to create awareness on our mandate. It is our belief that the Media are going to play a vital role”.
Earlier, the Group Executive Director Business Development, Ahmed Ibrahim Shekarau, thanked the Registrar for his timely visit at a critical moment like this when the Council want to embark on enforcement of the environmental heath laws.
Shekarau stated that, Media Trust is interested in partnering with council while promising to give them wider coverage to all activities of the Council.