The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) have agreed to collaborate in promoting regulations aimed at preserving the environment.
This decision was reached during a meeting between the chief executives of the two agencies held at the NOA headquarters. Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, director general of NOA, stated that the agency will leverage its national presence and expertise to ensure widespread awareness of environmental regulations and standards.
In a statement issued to newsmen yesterday in Abuja, Issa-Onilu highlighted the poor awareness about the ban on the use of plastics in the country, which exemplifies the general lack of environmental education that requires urgent action.
“How many of our people know about the policy on the use of plastics in Nigeria? This shows that we need massive education on the environment and your regulations. All our advocacy on environmental issues and climate change requires that we create awareness and provide environmental education, so that those who do not comply with our regulations can be recognised as deviants. The level of ignorance about preserving the environment is massive,” he said.
Issa-Onilu outlined the agency‘s platforms that can be utilised in the campaign to raise awareness, impart environmental education, and promote attitudinal change toward solving the problem of environmental abuse in Nigeria.
He stressed that these platforms include online and offline tools, many of which were developed in the last ten months and are being deployed to cater to the fast-changing media consumption patterns in the country.
On his part, the director general of NESREA, Dr Innocent Barikor, stated that they sought collaboration with NOA to ensure that NOA‘s structure is available for creating environmental awareness and education for all citizens.
“We want to share our concern with the NOA regarding endangered species, especially the flora and fauna—rare animals and plants in Nigeria that require protection.
“We aim to promote environmental education and enlighten the public about the existing ban on plastic use in Nigeria.
“We also focus on data collection and research to enhance environmental consciousness and address issues related to carbonisation and climate change.“
