The Senate is determined to address the issue of environmental degradation in Nigeria, according to Senator Ned Nwoko (PDP-Delta), who is the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment.
He spoke to journalists in Abuja on Sunday and highlighted some of the major environmental challenges facing the country.
He said that erosion was a serious problem that affected his home state of Delta, especially the North Senatorial District.
Nwoko added that flooding was another major issue that impacted more than 13 states across the country and five local government areas in his district.
He also mentioned pollution as a cause of environmental degradation, which resulted from the improper disposal of waste and gas flaring that harmed the environment and people’s health.
He further noted that pipeline vandalism and oil spillage were also sources of environmental damage.
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Mr. Nwoko disclosed that the Senate is already working on addressing the erosion problem by compiling a list of affected sites and allocating funds for them in the next budget.
He said that some lives, homes and villages were threatened by erosion and needed urgent intervention.
He also urged Tinubu to take two necessary steps to prevent the annual flooding crisis that affected many communities.
He said that the government should either complete the dam that was started some years ago up north to accommodate the excess water from the Cameroonian dams or build a new one.
Nwoko said that the cost of the project should not be a hindrance, as the government’s duty is to spend money for the well-being and welfare of the people.
He also advocated for the dredging of the River Niger and the construction of embankments along the shoreline and the waterfront areas. He said that this would help to mitigate the effects of flooding and protect people and their properties.
The lawmaker also said that he was focused on stopping gas flaring and imposing heavy penalties on those who engaged in it.
He said that gas flaring was unacceptable and violated international best practices and acceptable pollution levels as stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other bodies.
The Senate Committee’s Vice Chairman said that gas flaring destroyed the ecosystem, the habitats and human lives, and that the 10th Assembly would not tolerate it.
He said that the Senate would ensure that the oil companies respected humanity and human lives and complied with environmental standards.