THE NESREA ACT: ROLE IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

 THE NESREA ACT: ROLE IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Aina Oladunni Mowaninuola-oluwa

Lagos State University, Nigeria

INTRODUCTION

‘The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it for us’ said Robert Swan. The environment is what we have in common, saving it is our responsibility. The environment needs to be protected as well as safeguarded from the harmful and polluting acts of man. Little wonder why the state is vested with the protection and improvement of the environment in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In a bid to protect and safeguard the environment, the president of Nigeria has assented a new National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency Bill. However, this paper is set to examine the role of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency Act in environmental protection.

The Role of the NESREA Act in Environmental Protection

According to Wikipedia, The NESREA, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, is an environmental agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria that was established by law in 2007 to “ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for Nigerians”.

The agency is a federal body charged with the protection and safeguarding of land, forest, and wildlife, monitoring processes and equipment, ensuring compliance with established standards, conducting public investigations, and submitting proposals to the minister for maintaining environmental quality, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Environment. It is led by a Director General, who serves as the CEO for many companies within the NESREA corporate family. NESREA enforces 33 national Environmental Regulations aimed at mitigating harmful human activities on the environment.  

However, the agency, through the act, is empowered to enforce compliance with laws, regulations, and standards on environmental matters.Before the implementation of the NESREA Act, laws that are made concerning environmental protection are not adhered to such as; the disposal of refuse into the drainage system, improper dumping of refuse, etc., with the act in place strict adherence to the laws will be attained and enforced.

Moreover, the act is set to curb the pollution of the environment by mining natural resources as well as the conservation of wildlife. A great number of harmful acts by mining companies have been recorded across the nation. As of September 2020, the Ebonyi Community accuses First Patriot Nigeria Limited, a mining company, of the destruction and devastation of their plants, animals, crops, and economic livelihood, and requested compensation. The Minister of Environment is empowered to make regulations for the effectiveness of the NESREA Act, such as; regulations that minimize pollution from the Mining and Processing of Coal, Ores, and Industrial Materials.

In addition, through the act, the agency is empowered to ascertain the proper disposal of waste as well as punish the violation of environmental regulations in collaboration with relevant judicial authorities.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the NESREA Act is a tremendous way forward to maintain and conserve the beautiful human environment, through this act, excessive and unhygienic human acts will be curbed as well as punished. The NESREA Act has provided for the establishment of the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency, which will serve as the executor of the rules, the maintainer of the environment, and the guardian of natural resources.