The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has appealed to industrial stakeholders and the regulated community to comply with the revised National Environmental Regulations.
Dr Innocent Barikor, the Director-General, NESREA, made the call at the Validation Workshop for the National Environmental (Permitting and Licensing Systems Regulations 2009) on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, in Abuja.
He said the revised regulations were pivotal for ensuring environmental sustainability and compliance in Nigeria.
Barikor emphasised the importance of adherence to the updated regulations in enhancing environmental protection in Nigeria.
He said that there was need for collaboration of diverse stakeholders, including the regulated sector and other sector players whose businesses have bearing on the environment.
Barikor said that partnership was crucial and could not be over-emphasised.
“Your expertise and feedback have helped in refining and enhancing these revised regulations, ensuring they are both effective and practical.
“We are at a pivotal moment, the outcome of this workshop will shape the regulatory landscape and, by extension our nation’s environmental future.
“At NESREA, our vision is to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for all Nigerians.
“Our mission is to inspire personal and collective responsibility in building an environmentally conscious society for the achievement of sustainable development in Nigeria,” he said.
Barikor thanked the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for their support for the review process.
The review process had various stages including In-House Review, Technical Review, and Stakeholders’ Review at the six geopolitical zones and 35 States of the Federation, Expert Critique, and finally the Validation of the Regulation.
Also speaking, the Country Representative to United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Andrea Lamas, said the aim of the review of the regulation was to reduce the impact of humans’ activity on the environment.
In a goodwill message, Mr Olufemi Michael, a representative of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Liaison office, said that global environmental challenges required a unified efforts to achieve practical solution.
By Doris Esa
