By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Nigerian Government has mandated operators and regulators to ensure that project sites and facilities undergo thorough remediation, adhering to international best practices, in order to safeguard the health of Nigerians, protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable use of natural resources.
Minister of Environment, Balarable Abbas Lawal gave the charge during a Training Session for staff of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency NESREA and Accredited Environmental Consultants on “Decommissioning Plans and Environmental Remediation Strategies”, organized by NESREA with the support of the European Union, Thursday in Abuja.
Mallam Lawal noted that, lack of proper decommissioning of project sites and facilities had led to environmental damage, public health crises and economic loss to the country and stressed the need to ensure that industrial activities in Nigeria align with the highest standards of environmental protection and sustainability.
He said, “as Nigeria continues to grow its industrial, extractive and energy sectors, we must not lose sight of the potential environmental and social impacts of these activities. Ensuring that sites are properly decommissioned and that effective remediation strategies are implemented is vital to safeguarding the health of our people as well as protecting biodiversity and ensuring the sustainable use of our natural resources”.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director General of NESREA, Dr. Innocent Barikor, stated that the workshop was part of the efforts by the Agency to build the capacity of staff and accredited consultants to ensure that industrial activities do not compromise the well-being of citizens and the environment.
“This process goes beyond the cessation of operations; it involves managing environmental risks, ensuring safe disposal of waste, mitigating hazards, and remediating sites to protect public health and enable sustainable post-decommissioning uses.”
He expressed his appreciation to the European Union for their generous support and collaboration in the successful organization of the Programme.
