Senate Asks FG to Increase Funding for Environment

Asks NEMA to assist disaster victims in Kebbi Deji Elumoye

The Senate yesterday passed a motion urging the federal government to increase funding for the environment and environmental issues.

This was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) and seven other Senators to mark this year’s World Environment Day.

The sponsors of the motion expressed concern that the country is plagued with desertification in the North, flooding and erosion in almost all states, gully erosion in the South-east, oil spill incidents in the Niger Delta and soot in Port Harcourt.

The Senate therefore submitted that with this environmental challenges “Our budget, environmental policies and actions seem as if we are not doing enough.

It also urged the federal ministry of environment and relevant agencies to ensure sensitisation, particularly of young ones, on these environmental issues.

Other resolutions of the Senate on the environment include the need to enact and enforce legislation on adequate waste disposal and recycling system, introduction of eco-friendly reusable bags.

Senate urged all the 36 states of the federation to participate in creation and review of policies and

shedding light on all environmental issues.

While expressing concern about people’s excessive reliance on single use bags and disposable plastics, Senate further canvassed for increase in tax payable on single use plastic bags and bottles with a view to discourage use.

“Senate is aware that to reduce waste from plastic pollution, several countries including the United kingdom, Germany, Australia have introduced measures including increase in tax payable on single use bags and plastic, payment for these bags, consumer education and retailer take-back programmes “

Also yesterday, the Senate called on National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to immediately intervene in the Rainstorm/Windstorm and fire outbreak in Argungu Local Government area of Kebbi State.

It called on NEMA to provide relief materials to the victims of these disasters “in order to assist them in rebuilding their lives, houses, shops and businesses”.

Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North) had moved a motion on the need to provide urgent relief materials to the victims of rainstorm/windstorm and fire outbreak in Argungu LGA of Kebbi State and was unanimously supported by the Senate.