The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement (NESREA) on Wednesday, reviewed it environmental enforcement principles and guidelines to develop effective environmental regulations and laws across the country.
Dr Lawrence Anukam, the Director-General of the agency disclosed this at a one-day workshop on the review of the environmental enforcement guidelines of the agency, in Abuja.
Anukam said that the review would help to address environmental challenges and to take collective actions for effective environmental control.
“The review becomes necessary over time on realising that there are some gaps, there are some imagine issues, there are also new thought that must be addressed properly.
“There are some new ideals and morals that must reflect in the way we enforce environmental issues into laws.
“It becomes also necessary to provide document that will be a good guide not just for our own enforcement but other agencies of government who also have something to do with the regulations.
“The review will also help in our capacity building both in federal and state levels.
“The document has been reviewed and will go a long way to assist the agency in its enforcement and compliance programmes,’’ he said.
The director general said that the agency was working with other relevant law enforcement agencies to build the capacity in the area of environmental laws.
He said that the partnership would offer a better understanding and provide opportunities for collective actions in addressing environmental challenges.
He however thanked the United Nations Environmental Programm, (UNEP) and other relevant agencies for their technical support for a successful review of the document.
Mr Robert Wabunoha, representative of the UNEP, said that the review was necessary as it would help to promote environmental laws and regulations in the country.
Wabunoha said that the agency had the responsibility to enforce all environmental laws, guidelines, policies, standards and regulations in the country.
He said that the agency`s mission was to inspire personal and collective responsibility in building an environmental conscious society for the achievement of sustainable development in the country.
He said that the agency`s guidelines and principles was overdue and needed to be reviewed to enable achieve its goals.
