How Nigeria Can Save Nigerians from Their Environment

Nigeria is a wonderful country.

Why? You ask why? Well, I will tell you.

If the five world’s biggest environmental problem spotted by DW.com was a crime punishable by death, Nigeria will be guilty of all count charges.

• You doubt the air pollution and climate change claim?

Ok.

Why don’t I accompany you to the Niger delta where gas flaring is like taking dinner?

Have you been to the communities that shoulder the oil spills? I bet they breath the nicest air.

What about the huge economic and revenue loss?

I bet that counts for nothing right? Wrong!

I’ve noticed that the temperature for most Nigerian cities is now higher. Or am I the only one watching the weather forecasts on TV?

• Oh where has all the forest gone? Has the deforestation spirit visited?

So we now prefer to turn our forests to buildings; and our trees to wood? Well, it’s good. That’s human advancement.

But we need to be careful because…

• Soil degradation is real. So the trees are gone and our land is naked.

Now the rains can molest her and take all the juicy nutrients away. How are we supposed to make our food when all the nutrients are gone?

As if that is NOT enough, our darling herdsmen and their beautiful cows won’t let the grass rest.

• And who say animal extinction is not real in Nigeria?

Where are all the elephants and fine monkeys?

Please call them back O. We need them back. Or have they gone with the forest?

Hmm. Earth will be boring as hell if all these fine animals disappear.

• Haa… Overpopulation.

Lagos is a mega city. Nice. Kano is a big city. Great.

If you’ve never experienced over population, visit these cities.

Now that we know our problems, what’s…

The way out?

Simple.

The leadership should play her part. The lead should play their part.

But it should start with the leadership.

Obviously, it should all start with making and implementing the right laws and policies.

Well, I guess you already know that:

Nigerian government is an expert in law making and policy formulation.

In fact, superb laws are on ground to check most of these issues.

Like:

• The Gas Flaring (Prohibition and punishment) bill and The Associated Gas Re-injection Act of 1979 – both aimed at fighting gas flaring
• The endangered species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Act
• The Natural Oil spill Detection Response Agency Act

And many more.

So the bigger problem is NOT law and policy making. It is enforcement and implementation – and that’s where the real result lies.

But this is NOT to say that implementation is zero. No. Not true. Some of the government’s actions are bringing good results.

Their actions against gas flaring, for example, has significantly brought down gas flaring activities.

They just need improvement. For example, they need to replicate what they did to shell in other sectors.

So yes. Nigerians are expert law makers. But their laws are not perfect. They need improvements too.

The law makers can start by eliminating ambiguity, loop-holes and kid-glove punishment from the Gas Flaring (prohibition and punishment) Bill.

No wonder oil companies still flair with boldness.

Next, is the people:

They need to be carried along.

They need to know how these challenges, laws and policies affect their life, health and wellbeing.

That way, they will key in and take ownership.

The National Orientation Agency can handle that. They were created for that kind of task.

The people also need to listen to and trust their government. They should take the government laws, policies and project as theirs and be willing to defend it.

Anybody found breaking the law should be reported to the appropriate authority.

That way, Nigerians will save themselves from their environment.



References

The Guardian - Nigeria loses $2.5b yearly to gas flaring, says Senate -  https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria-loses-2-5b-yearly-to-gas-flaring-says-senate/


Wikipedia.org - Environmental issues in the Niger Delta - 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_the_Niger_Delta


DW.com - Five of the world's biggest environmental problems - http://www.dw.com/en/five-of-the-worlds-biggest-environmental-problems/a-35915705


Researchgate - General overview of climate change impacts in Nigeria - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229019531_General_overview_of_climate_change_impacts_in_Nigeria

Naij.com - Top-5 Endangered Animals In Nigeria - https://www.naij.com/312625-top-5-endangered-animals-in-nigeria.html

Tundeakingbade.wordpress.com - On the trail of forest elephants in Ogun, Ondo and Osun - 
https://tundeakingbade.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/on-the-trail-of-forest-elephants-in-ogun-ondo-and-osun/


[PDF]A BILL - National Assembly - http://nass.gov.ng/document/download/1039


Legaloil.com - ASSOCIATED GAS RE-INJECTION ACT
 - http://www.legaloil.com/download%20file/ASSOCIATED-GAS-RE-INJECTION-ACT.pdf


Lawsofnigeria.placng.org - ENDANGERED SPECIES (CONTROL OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TRAFFIC) ACT - http://lawsofnigeria.placng.org/laws/E9.pdf

Lawnigeria.com - NATIONAL OIL SPILL DETECTION RESPONSE AGENCY - 
http://www.lawnigeria.com/LawsoftheFederation/NATIONAL-OIL-SPILL-DETECTION-RESPONSE-AGENCY.html


This Day Live - NNPC: Nigeria Drops to Seventh Highest Gas Flaring Country -  https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/04/03/nnpc-nigeria-drops-to-seventh-highest-gas-flaring-country/


Naij.com - FG institutes N1.3trn suit against Shell over Bonga oil spills - https://www.naij.com/818323-oil-spillage-fg-moves-shell-four-others.html