The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) says it will enforce laws to check “environmental terrorism’’ in the northeast zone.
Its new Director, Mr Abdussalam Isa, made the assertion on Thursday, August 9, 2018 in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe, Gombe State.
Isa assumed office on July 31 as the head of NESREA, North-East Zonal Office in Gombe.
He said that the agency would ensure that companies and individuals adhere strictly to the environmental laws in the zone or face legal action.
According to him, environmental terrorism is taking place in some quarters where people and companies fail to be environment-friendly or relinquishing their corporate social responsibilities to government alone.
He said that the only way to sustain the environment for posterity was to enforce the law that protects the environment.
“If the agency fails in that task, some species of trees may go extinct,’’ NESREA director said.
He said that the agency would achieve this by strengthening environmental monitoring network across the zone to enforce compliance.
The NESREA director said that the environmental laws were made to protect the soil, trees and air quality against environmental terrorism.
“We must enforce the laws, if we must protect our environment and make it safe for all; any company or individual that fails to abide by environmental laws should be prepared to go to court.
“We shall prosecute anyone who breaches the law to serve as a warning to others.
“We shall strengthen environmental monitoring network as well as partner with private organisations to enforce compliance across the zone.
“Even the activities of construction companies will be monitored against air pollution.
“If laws are not enforced, they will be useless for the purpose for which they have been enacted. This will not happen in this zone as we are committed to fighting to keep our environment.
“Aside the enforcement of laws, we as an agency will plant trees and also be involved in periodic cleaning of our environment to show examples,’’ he said.
Isa said that there would be sensitisation to make the people know the implications of violating environmental laws.
He then appealed to people to give the agency the needed supports to achieve its task.
By Uwumarogie Peter
