Nigeria environmental agency gets tough with law breakers
Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards, Regulatory and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has shut down two construction companies for allegedly violating the country’s environmental laws.
WADR’s Abuja Correspondent reports that the action to seal the corporate headquarters of the firms was taken on Wednesday against Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Arab Contractors.
An official of NESREA, Godwin Atsegwasi said the two construction companies violated provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act of 1992.
The law empowers the environmental agency to assess both the health and economic effects of industries established or any type of industrial activity on the environment.
NESREA has the constitutional mandate to enforce all environmental laws in Nigeria and to ensure that the provision of a healthy environment for all Nigerians.
Atsegwasi said that the enforcement team would perform its legal mandate by sealing any organisation, which fails to comply with the EIA guidelines.
Click audio below to listen to more on this story with WADR's Abuja Correspondent Martins.
In another development, reports from Nigeria said on Thursday that more than 100 people have died, after a tanker carrying petrol crashed.
The tanker crashed in southern Rivers state and authorities say the vehicle did not immediately burst into flames, so nearby villagers rushed to collect the fuel.
But according to the BBC, the tanker then exploded, burning many of them to death.
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