NSUK to assist gov’t in environmental challenges with new courses

The Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences of Nasarawa State University Keffi, (NSUK), Prof Nasiru Idris, has disclosed that the institution is working towards running postgraduate programmes to assist government in addressing the challenges of the environment.

Prof Idris said programmes will be run at M.Sc level in Sustainable Development, Environmental Impact Assessment and Management, Environmental Sustainability and Green Technology among others.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Department of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Federal Ministry of Environment, the dean also said the institution now has a new faculty which they needed to inform them about as stakeholders in EIA processes.

“NSUK has a new Faculty of Environmental Sciences that has all the departments that are related to the environment. We have been part of their processes and this is an avenue for us to observe some of the issues raised during the panel meeting,” he said.

He said the varsity has benefited and is still benefitting in terms of networking with experts, monetary and wealth of experience from the EIA panel review meeting which is organised by the department.

While noting that the varsity and the department are partnering in terms of capacity building, training and research and development, he stressed that they needed to work even more closely on these so that they can help improve the society.

The director in charge of EIA department, John Alonge, in his remark commended the university for synergizing with government agencies, saying that they are helping them to scale up their departmental delivery.

“There are lots of challenges and there are lots of things we are learning from you. We are reviewing the EIA Act; we are moving from issues of specific projects and now looking at policies, plans and programmes, that is strategic environmental assessment,” he said.

Alonge said they cannot continue to be a lone voice but want the backing of the ivory tower, adding that there is lot of work and study they can do together especially now that the EIA Act is under review.