The Enugu State Government has established an environmental law to back up its activities and prevent environmental degradation in the state.
Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Prof. Samuel Ugwu, who disclosed this in an interview on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Enugu, the state capital, said that establishing the environmental law was one of the cardinal things Gov. Peter Mbah had achieved through the ministry as the law was to back up its activities legally.
He explained that there was no law backing the ministry for its operations since it was created some years ago.
“We now have a law passed by the Enugu State House of Assembly waiting for the governor’s assent,” he said.
He said that the ministry had also developed policy on climate change to checkmate and reduce socio-economic impacts of its adverse effects in the state.
“We have developed policy on climate change which is a guideline of activities that can be carried out within the climate change context.
“It has to do with the changes in the weather, atmosphere, how it affects the ecosystem in which we live; the climate also affects the lives of people, health, agriculture and economy.
“The effect is more on agriculture, the water we drink and the losses we incur where there is adverse effect of this climate change,” he said.
The commissioner noted with dismay that Nigerians were not aware of climate change, hence the need for intensive awareness to cushion its effect on the society.
On illegal mining in the state, Ugwu said that the Gov. Mbah’s administration had curtailed the activities of miners by embarking on ceilings of over 20 illegal spots in the state.
He said that the illegal mining activities which were in various production stages were done without any cost to and consent of the state government.
According to the commissioner, the entire state has started experiencing clean environment following the effective supervision by the ministry.
Ugwu said that the Enugu State Waste Management Agency (ESWAMA) was working effectively with the constant removal of waste on a daily basis.
“We have sweepers, who come out early morning from Monday to Saturday, to make sure the streets are kept clean always,” he added.
He said that his ministry also checkmated the activities that caused erosion and tree felling in the state.
“The officers of the environmental health unit in the ministry also go out intermittently to supervise supermarkets, shops and pharmacies to identify expired edibles,” he explained.
The commissioner, however, advised the people of the state to change their attitude towards the environment and joined the present administration of Gov Mbah in the protection of the ecosystem.
By Maureen Ojinaka
