The House of Representatives Committee on Environment has pledged to address environmental degradation through legislation and policy review.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Julius Pondi (PDP-Delta), made the pledge at the inaugural meeting of the committee on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, in Abuja.
He said the environment had been subjected to very unkind conditions and that constituents were suffering the consequences.
According to the chairman of the committee, we need immediate transformational changes in every sector to ensure a change.
“Flood, pollution, erosion, deforestation, and all kinds of disaster is on the increase as the years go by and this calls for urgent steps to be taken to forestall further degradation.
“Globally, countries are making frantic efforts to salvage and remedy what is left in their environment and I am glad to say that Nigeria is following suit.
“On our part as a committee, we shall be looking into laws that need to be amended and policies that have outstayed their relevance and see how we can bring about positive changes and solution to the challenges staring at us.
“What we are going through is not peculiar to us but a global problem which requires all hands to be on deck to achieve results.
“We are privileged to be part of finding solution to these challenges and giving our constituents and the nation at large hope of a better tomorrow and we will do all we can to achieve results,” he said.
The lawmaker said the assignment of the committee remained s an enormous work that required team approach.
He said that all members of the committee, as stakeholders in the sector, must put in the best effort to the work at hand.
Pondi pledged that the committee would discharge its mandate with all sense of responsibility, guided by the Legislative Agenda of the 10th assembly.
In a related development, the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream has promised to ensure stability in the oil sector to create opportunity for all Nigerians.
The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Ado Doguwa (APC-Kano State) made this known at the inauguration of the committee on Tuesday.
He said the committee is charged with a mandate to meticulously review and amend the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to make it robust, forward-looking and to reflective of best practices.
The lawmaker said that though the challenges before the committee are indeed formidable, but they are not insurmountable.
“With a shared vision and a synergy of efforts, we can and will institute transformative changes that will resonate through the industry and across the fabric of our society.
“Let us march forward with determination and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Together, we are poised to redefine the narrative of our petroleum sector and chart a course toward a future replete with prosperity, stability, and opportunity for all Nigerians.
“This legislative endeavour will be marked by a commitment to transparency, inclusivity, and sustainability, aiming to create a regulatory environment that catalyses innovation, attracts investment, and secures the long-term viability of our petroleum resources,” he said.
He said the leadership of the committee had proactively engaged with the leadership and administrative officers of allied committees focusing on the sector.
According to him, this strategic collaboration is the cornerstone upon which we will build a cohesive and comprehensive approach to the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within the oil and gas sectors.
He urged member to roll up their sleeves and get down to the business at hand for the good of all Nigerians.
By EricJames Ochigbo
