FG Inaugurates New Programmes to Check Air Pollution
The Federal Government yesterday inaugurated new programmes to curb air pollution largely caused by the transport sector in the country.
The National Emissions Control Programmes (NECP) includes the Generator Emission Control Programme (NGECP), and Vehicular Emission Control Programme (NVECP).
Minister of Environment, Mr. Muhammed Abdullahi, who spoke at the unveiling of the programme in Abuja, said the transport sector has been identified as the major source of air pollution in the country.
He said the exercise was being organised by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
Abdullahi urged relevant stakeholders to support the Federal Government’s effort for effective implementation of the programmes to ensure cleaner and healthier environment.
According to him, it is worthy of mentioning that road transportation in Nigeria, with over 12 million vehicles plying the roads, is playing a key role in the socio-economic development of the country.
“Unfortunately, despite significant advances in fuel efficiency and emission reduction, the transport sector remained one of the major sources of air pollution in Nigeria.
“The stakeholders are all key in the implementation process; therefore, we are calling on all of you including the general public to join hands with NESREA in ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment.
“Together we ensure sustainable development and make our country great,’’ he said.
The minister, who expressed concern over the indiscriminate use of power generators for both domestic and industrial purposes, said the trend contributed to the poor air quality in the environment.
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He explained that the situation affected negatively not only to the environment but human health by increasing the quantity of harmful pollutants.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the year 2016, ambient air pollution is responsible for 4.2 million deaths worldwide.
The programmes, he said, would be implemented under the Public Private Partnership (PPP), and involves periodic testing of the generators and vehicles for toxic and greenhouse gases emissions.
The minister said that part of the NESREA`s mandate was to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement as spelled out in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Abdullahi added that the objective of the programme was to create public awareness on indiscriminate use of ill-maintained generators and vehicles, their environmental and health implications.
He also said that the programmes among others were aimed at generating data on vehicular and generator emissions to improve the air quality of the country.
The Director-General of the NESREA, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, said the Federal Government was concerned with the environmental problems and was not relenting efforts in curbing the threat.
He said the vision of the agency was to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment, adding that NESREA has recorded numerous milestones over decade of environmental governance.
Also speaking, Mr Awwal Nakata, Assistant Director, Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), said that the agency would continue to support the NESREA to ensure effective implementation of the programmes.
