By Chris Alu
The federal government has said that the country, current status lacks the capability to handle marine pollution. Adding that marine pollution was not common to Nigeria alone, adding that also super powers suffered from the same problem.
Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, Minster of Enviroment, stated this yesterday in Abuja, when she received a letter of approval for Nigeria to host the Regional Coordinating Centre to combat marine pollution in West, Central and Southern Africa.
The letter which was delivered to the minister by the Executive Secretary, Abidjan Convention, Mr. Abou Bamba, during a courtesy visit to the minster.She said, the country has this particular problem but it is a global phinomima,”Yes, we have this problem. It is not only Nigeria that is battling with this problem. Even the super powers, they also suffer this problem. We are doing our best. The sitting of the marine pollution headquarters here will give us the advantage.
“We do not have the technology, capabilities to handle these problems.
With others coming in, it will be a combined effort and we will be able to do it well. So we are happy to have it here. And I know that with others with us, we shall succeed.
“With the support we have from the Federal Government and the director-general of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency we will not fail the United Nation Environment Programme. We will not fail other countries that are on the coastline on this matter.”
She assured the Convention of the support of the Federal Government in fighting marine pollution.
In his address, Bamba said the hosting of the headquarters in Nigeria was another step in tackling marine pollution in the region.
He noted that this would speed up the clean-up of Ogoni land, adding that the Abidjan Convention would provide adequate logistics to make the Nigerian centre functional and successful.
