Environment
Borehole: ‘Quality Control ‘ll Eradicate Quackery’
Director-General, Na
tional Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Dr Ngeri Benebo, has said that ground water quality control regulations will eradicate quackery in borehold drilling in Nigeria.
Benebo made the statement when officials of Association of Water Well drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP) paid her a ciurtesy visit in Abuja.
She said the law was meant to ensure that Nigerians had access to quality water and the process of getting the water without constituting a threat to the environment.
She said collaboration with AWDROP would further strengthen the agency’s capacity to enforce ground water regulations.
“We have the challenge of infrastructure in water and the question that people keep asking about borehole drilling is the quality of water being drilled.
“Another question is that where we are tapping from, the ‘aquifer’; we are not mindful of the land slide disaster that could come out.
“Now that some of you have realised that we are in a global village where sustainable practices are the order of the day, we must put heads together to ensure that our actions and inaction are controlled through regulations.
“The essence of the ground water quality control regulation is to control the menace of water accessibility through unhealthy practices because water is key to our survival.
“Our partnership with you would further expand our enforcement and monitoring in the industry to ensure compliance from the drillers,” Benebo said.
Earlier, the National President of A WDROP, Mr Michael Ali, said that quacks had infiltrated the sector, which had threatened both the environment and the health of the people.
Ali pledged compliance with NESREA regulations in the drilling of water to ensure that Nigerians had access to quality water.
“We are aware that the impact of over 20,000 boreholes that have been drilled in this country has posed a threat to the environment due to the effect of the drilling machine to the environment.
He said the global acceptable distance between one borehole and another was 20m but that the rules were being undermined by quacks for business purposes.
In his remarks, the Director of Environmental Quality Control in NESREA, Alhaji Umar Maiwada, said the agency would hold further meetings with the officials to discuss technical issues in the sub-sector.
Maiwada thanked officials of AWDROP for the visit, adding that the visit was at the right time when the agency was out to ensure that all environmental laws were enforced effectively.
It would be recalled that NESREA had issued 30 environmental regulations, including ground water quality control.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Thursday, launched an awareness campaign, aimed at educating residents on the increasing impact of climate change.
The campaign also seeks to enlighten residents on the urgent need for personal and community protection measures.
During the launch in Uyo on Thursday, the Akwa Ibom Director of NOA, Mr Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, said that the campaign aims at enlightening residents, about the changes in weather patterns.
He said that this includes unpredictable rise in temperatures, and how these changes threaten public health across the state.
Mkpoutom noted that the current weather was not harmattan, but an extreme form of air pollution, which is harmful to health as it could cause oxidative stress which affects body balance.
“Our environment is changing rapidly, and the effects are evident in the disruptions faced by our communities.
“It is paramount that every citizen of Akwa Ibom understands these changes and take necessary steps to protect themselves, their families, and their livelihoods,” he said.
He appealed to citizens to take the following precautions which include wearing of nose mask, drinking sufficient water, covering of food and water to keep away dust, washing fruits thoroughly before eating, among others.
He directed all NOA structures within the state to engage with local communities through town hall meetings and collaboration.
He also urged engagement with schools and community leaders, to disseminate vital information on early warning signs, as well as safety protocols during extreme weather conditions.
The Chairman of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Ms Surah Animashaun, has urged traders of Aiyetoro and Oluwo fish markets to consistently ensure a hygienic trading environment.
She urged the traders to maintain cleanliness and observe proper environmental sanitation in the markets.
Animashaun said this during a visit to some of the market areas in Epe on Saturday.
She said that clean markets were critical to public health.According to her, poor sanitation could lead to the outbreak of communicable diseases, especially in fish markets, where waste management must be handled with extra care.
The council chairman urged traders to dispose of refuse appropriately, avoid indiscriminate dumping of waste, and ensure regular cleaning of stalls and surroundings
She noted that environmental hygiene is a collective responsibility, adding that everyone should be involved in this development.
Animashaun also warned that the local government would not hesitate to enforce existing environmental laws, including sanctions against defaulters.
She assured traders of the council’s commitment to providing adequate waste disposal facilities and regular monitoring to sustain a clean and healthy market environment.
The council boss also urged traders to desist from selling by the roadside, so as to avoid accidents, noting that several motor accidents had occurred along the Aiyetoro market area.
“We, therefore, urge traders to stop selling on the roadside,” she said.
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
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