FG accepts new Environmental Impact Assessment report

Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam

The Federal Government has received a reviewed report on the Environmental Impact Assessment Act No. 86 of 1992 CAP E12 LFN 2010, which will ensure adequate regulation of programmes and policies that affect the environment.

The EIA Act was presented to the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, in Abuja by a ministerial committee.

The leader of the committee, Dr. Oluwole Ameyan, said the reviewed Act would address a lot of environmental irregularities that were not adequately taken care of in the old Act.

He said, “In line with current international best practices, the committee introduced a section of Strategic Environmental Assessment to cover areas such as polices, plans and programmes, which have long-term effects on the environment.

“The SEA implies that some programmes and policies of government will now be subject to the EIA. So, it is no longer enough to just have a programme or policy, especially if such policy is likely going to have a long-term environmental effect. Once this is established, such policy, programme or activity must be subjected to the EIA.”

Ameyan said other areas addressed by the reviewed Act included the issue of broader public participation, funding of the EIA process and the need to put in place more efficient machinery for