By Adedapo Adesanya
As Nigeria continues to tackle the proliferation of substandard products, the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) disclosed that it turned back 15 vessels carrying hazardous materials into Nigeria.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Director-General of the agency, Mr Aliyu Jauro, explained that the vessels were laden with chemicals and electronics harmful to the environment.
He cautioned that government would not allow any importer to turn Nigeria into a dumping ground for hazardous materials.
“It is allowed to import electronics into Nigeria, but such electronics must be functional and safe.
“Nigeria is not a dumping ground where any waste can be allowed in.
“Most of the items arriving in Nigeria are not good and don’t function well, so only those that are functional and are safe are allowed to be discharged.
“People are able to bring hazardous items into Nigeria because the country’s borders are porous.
“As an agency, we test imported equipment to ensure that they are working perfectly and they are safe for the ecosystem,” he said.
Mr Jauro said particularly disturbing was the importation of used refrigerants and chemicals used in refrigeration that should not be allowed into any society because of their risk levels.
He said that some of the chemicals were found to react and deplete the ozone layer, the protective layer that shields the earth from radiation emitted by the sun.
“The use of chlorofluorocarbons in refrigerants and other chemicals used as fire extinguishers are responsible for global warming. “Also, some pesticides used in agriculture deplete the ozone layer and have many negative effects on humans and the ecosystem,” Mr Jauro stressed.
Nigeria has, over the years, moved to strengthen its defences against the importation of hazardous materials and other rejected substandard substances, with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in their capacity working effortlessly to prevent this.
