The National
Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is planning
to train Nigerian Police Force personnel to promote environmental activities
across the country.
The
Director-General of the agency, Dr Lawrence Anukam, made the plan known to the
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.
Anukam said
the training would enhance environmental health and advance the agency`s
service delivery.
He also said
that the training would ease the activities of the agency toward effective
operation.
According to
him, the agency has a lot to do with the police in the area of enforcement
because both agencies are involved in inspection.
“When the
agency is going to seal an organisation which violates environmental laws the
police always follow and there are some inspections we do in which we need to
go with police.
“So we feel
that police also should participate in our training to enable them to know more
of our activities and the only way to make it effective is to carry them along.
“For that
reason, we decided to develop a training programme, we have provided a training
curriculum at the three levels of the police, the junior, the middle and the
higher cadre.
“Incidentally,
we are yet to fully carry out any of these trainings, I believe it will be a
very good development. ‘’
He noted
that the new Inspector-General of the police recently expressed commitment
toward the partnership with NESREA which would boost its activities.
Anukam said
the agency`s department responsible for the training had already been
communicating with the Education Training Department of the police.
He added
that the agency’s recent seminar attended by all commandants in police colleges
was to introduce them to the activities and enlighten the police on the
benefits of the training.
“We will
extend the programme to both the state and local levels because we want to make
sure that nobody is left out. We are eager to make sure that the programme
progresses.
Anukam also
said the agency would sensitise the judiciary sector to environmental
activities in its efforts to promote environmental sanitation.
“ The
judiciary is the one that interprets the law and metes out the punishment for
violators. The judiciary needs to appreciate and be part of environmental
issues as well as to achieve the set goals.
“We will
also sensitise other government agencies to the importance of promoting and
keeping our environment clean to protect the lives of the people,’’ he said.
Anukam said
that there was a need for proper planning, capacity building and sensitisation
for different sectors of government to achieve desired goals.
He said the
sensitisation programme, which was mandatory for all, was in line with the UN
programme on environment.
The director
general urged Nigerians to support the government in the promotion of the
environmental sanitation by keeping the environment clean. (NAN)
Nice
one. Its actually a welcome development. Things will get better.
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