Environment

Environmentalists Back FG’s Proposed Policy On Lower Sulphur

Published

8 years ago

March 26, 2018

Some environmentalists recently supported the Federal Government’s plans to lower permissible sulphur levels in imported fuels.
Two renowned environmentalists, Rev. Nnommo Bassey and Alagoa Morris, declared their support in separate interviews with The Tide in Yenagoa.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had on March 13 announced that starting from July it will cut down sulphur levels in imported petrol and diesel.
Mr Anibor Kragha, the NNPC’s chief operating officer of refineries and petrochemicals announced the development during a presentation to the African Refiners Association Conference.
The experts noted that the proposed regulation would reduce the emission of sulphur, a toxic element into the environment.
Bassey however, said that there was an urgent need for the country to speed up in the global race for cleaner fuels.
According to the environmentalist, the proposed sulphur content cut in fuels is coming behind a July 2017 target by the country as part of a United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) campaign.
“It is sad that we are lagging behind other countries and regions in producing or importing cleaner petroleum product.
“It has been clear over time that producers and importers would go for the cheapest products available in order to maximize profits.
“The lack of policy coherence between government agencies make this sort of situation inescapable, there should be collaboration and synergy among government agencies for the overall good of the country,” Bassey said.
He noted that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) had set the fuel emission standards in 2017 but the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) failed to update its own specifications.
“When this type of lapse happens, the marketers and racketeers will take the cheap route and wouldn’t give a damn about the impact on the health of the people.
“It is regrettable that while the world is moving to cleaner energy, including shifting to electric cars, in Nigeria we are showing scant urgency in even making dirty energy a little bit less dirty.
“Unfortunately, even this little step may offer a platform for an increase in pump price of the products,” Bassey said.
Morris, Head of Field Operations at Environmental Rights Action and Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), noted that it was time to increase local refining capacity as Nigerian crude grades had very low sulphur content.
According to him, Nigeria crude is sought after by foreign refineries who refer to Nigerian crude streams as ‘sweet and light’ due to its ease of refining and very low sulphur content.
He said that it was an irony that Nigeria is exporting the fine, sweet crude to other countries and importing heavy, bitter products.
“Yes, if ours is sweet and light due to the low sulphur content, definitely, the imported one with so much sulphur should be seen as bitter and heavy product.
“And, even when the world is moving away from fossil fuels, we can still see that within the fossil fuel sources, the experts still recognise that the heavier crude oil products are more injurious to our health and the Climate Change phenomenon.
“Nigeria is still holding on tenaciously to this more harmful source of fossil fuel.
“It is, however, interesting to note that Ghana met up with the 2017 deadline and, very sad to know even in this; Nigeria is shifting the goal post as is the case with ending gas flaring in Nigeria.
“This is, despite all the efforts the Civil Society has put into advocacy in spite of scarce resources. Nigeria is like the custodian of the so-called `African Time,” Morris said.
He called on government to give more attention to renewable, cleaner energy and less to crude oil that has brought the country, especially the Niger Delta so much violent conflicts and environmental degradation.
“It would even be better to fix our refineries and stop importation of refined products as this makes more economic sense than what is currently obtainable due to the aggregate of negative consequences.
“And, as the Environmental Rights Action and Friends of the Earth would say, leave the oil in the soil, protect the environment because the environment is our life,” Morris said.

Environment

Why Buildings Keep Collapsing In Nigeria…. NIOB

Published

3 days ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has attributed the recurring building collapse cases across the country to weak construction laws and failure to hold offenders accountable.

President of the institute, Daniel Kolade, made this known in Abuja at the 2026 Builders Day celebration, themed, “Advocacy and Policy Influence: Towards Sustainable Reforms for a Resilient Built Environment”

He expressed worry that, in spite of concerns over building safety, a key regulatory framework meant to strengthen enforcement within the built environment has remained pending before the National Assembly since 2006.

According to him, the delay has created a situation where those responsible for structural failures often escape punishment.

“Because the enforcement arm of the law is still lying with the National Assembly and has not been passed into law since 2006, the room remains for people to go scot-free when these incidents happen,” Kolade said.

According to Kolade, the lack of consequences encourages negligence on construction sites, as many operators believe little or nothing will happen, even if they violate building regulations.

Kolade cited previous building collapse incidents where, years after the tragedies, no individual had been prosecuted or sanctioned.

“As long as people continue to go free when these things happen, you should expect that it may not stop,” he said.

The NIOB president also said that the growing number of unqualified individuals working on construction sites worsened the problem.

He said it has become common for people without the required training or professional certification to assume technical roles in building projects.

“On most construction sites today, everybody claims to be an engineer, even labourers.

“Without the requisite knowledge and understanding, people just assume roles they are not qualified for,” he said.

Kolade noted that professional builders are regulated by the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), which has the authority to register practitioners and discipline erring members.

He explained that builders found guilty of professional misconduct should face sanctions, including the withdrawal of their practicing licences.

However, he said the absence of a strong enforcement mechanism outside professional bodies makes it difficult to prosecute developers or project promoters who violate construction standards.

“In Nigeria, only one major case in Lagos saw the building promoter go down with the incident.

“In many other cases across the country, those responsible have walked free,” he said.

Kolade stressed that the built environment consists of several specialised professionals, each with defined responsibilities, including builders, architects and engineers.

He said the NIOB remained committed to promoting professionalism, ethical standards and quality assurance within the building industry.

March 13 is observed annually as Builders’ Day to create public awareness about the roles of professional builders and the importance of engaging qualified professionals in construction projects.

Environment

Lagos Resumes Monthly Environmental Sanitation April 25

Published

3 days ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

The Lagos State Government has announced the resumption of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, nearly a decade after it was suspended in the state.

Residents are expected to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in front of their homes, and dispose of waste responsibly as part of efforts to improve environmental hygiene and tackle waste management challenges.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Saturday, disclosed the development in a statement, explaining that the exercise would officially restart later in the year.

“I am pleased to inform all Lagosians that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will resume effective Saturday, 25th April 2026, holding on the last Saturday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

“During this period, residents are enjoined to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in their frontages, and dispose of waste properly as a civic responsibility.”

Wahab urged residents to view the initiative as a shared duty toward building a healthier city, stressing that the government would ensure strict compliance.

“This exercise is a collective responsibility and a vital part of our commitment to a cleaner, healthier, and flood-resilient Lagos. And it shall be backed with the full enforcement weight of the Lagos State Government,” he said.

Explaining the significance of reintroducing the sanitation culture, the commissioner said the state was returning to a practice that once formed part of Lagosians’ lifestyle.

“Let me formally say this and say it boldly. Mr Governor and his deputy are taking a very audacious step. For those who don’t know, prior to 2016, we had a culture that emphasised cleanliness as next to godliness.

“Once every month, we took our time to clean up our surroundings and then maintain them sparkling. However, for some years, we stopped it.”

He said the absence of the exercise had contributed to mounting environmental pressures in the state.

“Now, waste, debt, and environmental challenges have become an existential challenge to us as a state. It’s taken us over a year to debate, talk, and agree that it’s time to reintroduce a monthly environmental sanitation,” Wahab said.

Appealing to residents for cooperation, he urged Lagosians to dedicate a small portion of their time each month to environmental cleanliness.

“It’s a plea that it is time for us to give up just one or two hours a month. In our marketplaces, every Thursday, we observe environmental cleanliness. But this time, we are saying as a state, let us sit back once a month and observe the cleanliness of our environment as we used to before 2016.”

“The monthly sanitation exercise, previously held on the last Saturday of every month between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., was suspended in November 2016 following a legal pronouncement restricting movement during the exercise.

The suspension later coincided with growing waste management concerns, including clogged drainage channels and indiscriminate refuse disposal across parts of the state.

Environment

Illegal Buildings On Embassies’ Land Will Be Demolished – Wike

Published

3 days ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has condemned the construction of buildings on land allocated to foreign embassies in the diplomatic zone of Katampe Extension, Abuja, describing them as illegal structures.

Wike spoke on Friday while addressing journalists during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects across the FCT.

He said the illegal structures would not be allowed to stand and ordered the demolition of the affected buildings.

During the tour, the minister inspected several roads and infrastructure projects, including the route linking Wuse to the Central Area, a road near the Body of Benchers complex, and the Tungan-Madaki road off the airport corridor.

He expressed confidence that many of the projects would be completed in time for the inauguration marking the third anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

On the illegal structures occupying embassy land, Wike said the plots had originally been allocated on March 18, 2008, to various diplomatic missions for residential purposes, but were later seized by an illegal developer who began construction without approval from the Federal Capital Development Authority.

“This land was allocated to various embassies in 2008. Somebody just came here, took the land, and started developing it on their own without approval from the FCDA. We cannot allow this kind of land invasion to continue,” he said.

Wike listed the diplomatic missions affected to include Thailand, Bulgaria, Syria, Somalia, Serbia and Montenegro, Japan, Austria, Switzerland, Senegal, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation. A portion of the land had also been reserved for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria for a 132/133KV power station.

The minister said the FCTA had directed the Department of Development Control to demolish all structures on the land and restore it to its original purpose.

“I have told them to bring down every building standing on this land,” he said, adding that the affected embassies would be formally notified to take possession of their allocated plots.

Wike also disclosed that the suspected developer had been arrested and would soon be prosecuted.

“The man has been arrested and he will be charged in court. The police are carrying out their investigation and he will be charged any moment from now,” he said.