Rivers Moves To Check Gas Flaring

The Rivers State Government says a bill that will address gas emissions and other environmental problems is now before the state House of Assembly.

The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Nyema Weli who said this during an interactive session with media executives in Port Harcourt, also called for amendment of the 1994 Environmental Edict to reflect the current environmental realities in the country.

Dr Weli said that the present subsisting environmental laws in the country had hampered the efforts of state governments in addressing environmental issues that affect them.

The commissioner also said that the ministry was working on an institutional framework to check the rate of environmental violations in the state.

According to him, with the Rivers State Environmental Protection Law in place, the problems associated with the environment would be  addressed, but noted that what the state was doing presently was not covered by the 1994 edict.

Meanwhile, Rivers State will be joining the rest of the word to celebrate the 2013 World Environment Day.

The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Nyema Weli who briefed newsmen on the celebration, said that the event, which holds on the  5th of June, 2013 has as its theme, “Think, Eat and Save”

He said that the theme was chosen to send a message to mankind of the need to conserve natural resources for future generations.

The commissioner said that the event would also feature tree planting across strategic areas of the state, and called for the  support of the media in publicising the activities.