Nigeria at 63: YEAC-Nigeria Calls for Inclusive Action Against Environmental Pollution

By Obiabin Onukwugha

As Nigeria marks her 63rd Independence Anniversary, an Environmental Body, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), had called for an inclusive action against environmental pollution.

The body also called on the Federal government to take a holistic environmental audit in the entire Niger Delta region so as to adopt measures recommended by the United Nations Environment Project (UNEP) in Ogoni to restore the entire region
Executive Director of the body, Fyneface Dumnamene made the call in his message to commemorate Nigeria’s 63rd Independence, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, yesterday.

He said: “I congratulate Nigerians on this special day and I want to say that in the area of environment, Nigeria will need to do more to save the environment because the environment influences the man and the man influences the environment such that if you want to destroy a man you destroy his environment.

“So Nigeria at 63, we need to do more to improve our environment. The step so far taken like the setting up of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to handle the issue of Ogoni clean up is a welcome development but I think that we need to do more to take steps to improve what is currently on ground in Ogoni and the Niger Delta region.”

Dumnamene emphasised on the need for the federal government to address environmental pollution related to youths, by ensuring the legalisation and operationalization of artesinal refineries.

“Environmental Pollution related to youths that are involved in artesinal crude oil refinery should be taken very seriously by the Nigerian government.

“Implementing the proposals we have put in place at the Youth and Environmental Advocacy Centre, especially the proposal to legalise artesinal crude oil refinery and integrating same into the national economy through the Presidential Artesinal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PARCORDI), and also being able to issue licenses that has been approved by the Buhari administration for artesinal refineries in the Niger Delta.

“If that is done, it will also help to save our environment from the pollution that is coming from youths who are involved in artesinal crude oil refineries”, he said.

The environmentalist further called on the Federal government to pay attention to marine pollution, pointing out that at 63, Nigeria should be able to tackle it’s environmental problems.

“Steps should be taken by the federal government of Nigeria to ensure that other parts of the Niger Delta that are polluted are also audited and assessed as UNEP did in Ogoni in 2011 with the report that was released.

“I think that at 63, Nigeria is no longer a baby in terms of the environment and they need to take steps to ensure that the environment is improved. We are also talking about net zero by the year 2060.

“This year should be a year that Nigeria should put more effort in place to ensuring that the environment is improved. And when you talk about the environment, we should also talk about the maritime environment. Nigeria is a member of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and this year the theme is that their commitment goes on”, he added.