The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal has stated that ensuring that sites are properly decommissioned and that effective remediation strategies are implemented is vital to safeguarding the health of our people as well as protecting biodiversity and ensuring the sustainable use of our natural resources.
He made the remarks at a training workshop on the ‘Review of Decommissioning Plans AND Environmental Remediation Strategies,’ organised by National Environmental Standard and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in Abuja on Wednesday.
The minister acknowledged the contributions of NEREA and the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP) for enforcing environmental regulations, promoting best practices and fostering a culture of accountability among industries operating within Nigeria, and remediation and cleanup of the Niger Delta region, respectively.
Lawal noted that decommissioning and remediation are critical aspects of sustainable resource management.
“Nigeria, like many nations, faces challenges in the areas of regulatory compliance, capacity building and the availability of advanced technologies for decommissioning and remediation. However, these challenges also present opportunities. By investing in training and fostering collaborations among stakeholders, we can build a robust framework that ensures best practices are adopted and enforced,” he said.
“As Nigeria continues to grow its industrial, extractive and energy sectors, we must not lose sight of the potential environmental and social impacts of these activities. Ensuring that sites are properly decommissioned and that effective remediation strategies are implemented is vital to safeguarding the health of our people as well as protecting biodiversity and ensuring the sustainable use of our natural resources. Over the years we have witnessed poorly managed decommissioning and remediation efforts leading to long-term environmental damage, public health crises and substantial economic costs. This workshop is not just timely, but crucial to environmental sustainability,” he added.
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