By Odimmegwa Johnpeter, Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Environment has offered to provide NEITI with the institutional platform to implement the environmental compliance requirements in the NEITI Standard.
The platform requires providing easy access to available reports on environmental impact assessments, existing policies, and reports on environmental pollution as well as strategic direction on the government’s action plan for the environment which will guide NEITI’s engagement on environmental issues.
Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor made the offer in Abuja at a meeting with the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji. This was contained in a statement signed by Obiageli Onuorah, Head, Communications, and Advocacy. According to Mrs. Ikeazor, “I commend NEITI for its initiative to expand its operations to issues on the environment at a time when environmental issues in the EITI Standard are yet to gain the desired attention. It is a win-win for Nigeria and we will support efforts in this direction”. She invited NEITI to serve on its special inter-ministerial committee on the environment.
The Executive Secretary of NEITI Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji in his remarks welcomed the emerging partnership and collaboration with the ministry of environment in the implementation of the environmental compliance requirements in the EITI Standard.
The NEITI Executive Secretary explained that “The partnership with the ministry of environment has become necessary as a result of the strong linkages between the environment, environment pollution, health hazards, mining, and oil and gas explorations.
He added, “The decision of the global EITI which Nigeria is a member to expand its mandate to the environment is as a result of the devastating effect of environmental degradation to the host communities of oil, gas and mining activities and the negative impact on health, living standards and poverty in the affected communities”.
Dr. Orji pointed out that the EITI which Nigeria is implementing has also identified the close link between environmental abuses to the security of lives and property in and around extractive industries host communities. He explained that NEITI is set to commission a comprehensive study on the impacts of mining on the environment and the implication on investment and revenue generation in the extractive sector.
He welcomed the invitation of the Minister for NEITI to serve on the special ministerial committee on the environment.
The meeting agreed for closer cooperation with the ministry in the areas of technical support, reliable content built on information, data, and capacity building.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/neiti-partners-ministry-of-environment-to-implement-environmental-compliance-requirements-in-neiti-standard/
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