Rep Urges FG To Strengthen Environmental Laws

Chairman, House Committee on Climate Change, Rep. Eziuche Ubani has advised the Federal Government to strengthen environmental laws to ensure environmental sustainability.

Ubani, who gave this advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja recently said that the measure would check the nonchalant attitude of people towards the environment.

He noted that the penalties outlined for flouting the existing 40 environmental laws were weak and they were needed to be replaced.

He urged the Federal Government to integrate environmental regulations into all sectors of the economy, saying that every sector was relevant to the environment.

He noted, for example, that some of the estates under construction in the FCT were not landscaped to mitigate the impact of climate change.

“We are building; which is very good, but if you go round some of these estates in Abuja, you will see that there are no climate change components such as trees and water, to cut down carbon emission.

“Some of the buildings were neither energy efficient nor water efficient.”

Ubani also stressed the need to enforce environmental laws related to housing to ensure a healthier environment.

“If there is a commission that is so powerful to carry out climate change mitigation, the poor man will be happier because he will live in a safer and healthier environment.’’

He expressed optimism that such a commission would be established once President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Climate Change Commission Bill into law.