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By Doris Esa
The Federal Government says it is collaborating with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on waste management reforms in Nigeria.
Prof. Innocent Barikor, the Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) stated this at a workshop on waste management reforms in Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.
Barikor said the event aimed to improve waste management and protect informal waste workers’ health and rights in Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone.
“This pilot project is coming at a time when Nigeria is yearning to adopt the principles of circular economy and resource efficiency that can create a win-win scenario where environmental protection goes hand in hand with economic prosperity and improved social well-being.
“The waste management sector plays a vital role in safeguarding public health, ensuring environmental sustainability, and enhancing the quality of life in our communities.
“It has over the years remained one of the key environmental and developmental challenges in Nigeria,” he said.
Barikor said that in spite of efforts to develop policies and plans, Nigeria continued to face significant challenges in managing waste, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding, and lack of public awareness.
“Thus, effective waste management is crucial for protecting public health, preserving the environment, and promoting socio-economic development,” he said.
He said to address this, NESREA, in collaboration with UNEP, under the Montevideo Programme V for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law, is implementing the pilot project in Abuja.
Barikor said the objective of the project was to strengthen the waste management framework with the aim of promoting environmentally sound and safe management of waste in Nigeria, while ensuring better inclusion and protection of informal workers and structures.
He said that the project would also generate recommendations for necessary legislative and institutional reforms within the waste management sector.
Barikor said the task before stakeholders was to review the current state of waste management in the FCT, identify areas requiring legislative and institutional improvement, and explore best practices and innovative approaches among others.
“Our collective inputs as stakeholders will at the long run achieve sustainable waste management practices in Nigeria.
“Together, we will seek to improve waste management practices within the FCT and beyond,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Mr Ayodele Olawande, the Minister of Youth Development, who commended the initiative, said it is pertinent to safeguard Nigeria’s environment and the future.
The minister pledged the ministry’s full commitment to the project, saying it would create jobs for the youths in the country.
Olawande, who was represented by Leah Akintiresoye, his Senior Special Assistant for Youth Development, reiterated the ministry’s commitment to protecting the Nigerian youth.
Ms Aphrodite Smagadi of UNEP commended NESREA for the partnership, saying that the project is a collective responsibility for all.
“This is a collective responsibility for all, each voice matters as well as perspectives,” she said.
She urged all stakeholders to ensure that the proposed framework reflected the realities on ground and shaped the waste management project. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
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