The Manufacturers
Association of Nigeria (MAN) has complained that it is too costly to be environmentally friendly.
The chairman, MAN, Apapa, Mr Babatunde Odunayo, made this known in his paper at the 7th edition of the Mandatory Environmental Seminar in Lagos.
The seminar was organised as an advisory service, which aims at eliciting voluntary compliance by member companies to internationally recommend environmental standards and the Nigerian Environmental Laws.
Odunaip, in his presentation stated that due to the high cost of environmental compliance occasioned by multiple regulatory agencies, MAN was calling for the harmonisation of the functions of regulatory agencies.
He lamented however, that their requests have so far fallen on deaf ears, adding that rather than address the plight of members of MAN, these regulatory agencies have continued to make, “unimaginable demands with very stringent imposition of fines for failure to comply”.
He further said, “we have to contend with the federal agency, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESRA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), among others”.
He added that states and local governments also have their own environmental and health inspectorate departments, saying there are too many interventions for one objective”.
He noted that the seminar, which had the theme, “Constructive Engagement of the Nigerian manufacturers towards sustainable, clean and safe environment”, seeks to chart a way forward, towards progressive, but non-oppressive disposition in managing environmental compliant issues in the sector.
Furthermore, he said, “also the intended impact of the seminar is to further underscore the importance the association attaches to issues of environmental, sanitation, pollution and public private engagement.