Nigerians Risk Buying Poisonous Food If….—Senator Abe

June 7, 2017
Nigerians Risk Buying Poisonous Food If….—Senator Abe

Nigerians Risk Buying Poisonous Food If….—Senator Abe

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A member of the Senate from Rivers State, Mr Magnus Abe, has warned that it the issue of environment pollution was not taken seriously by the Federal Government, Nigerians might end up buying poisonous food at the market.

Mr Abe gave this warning on Tuesday while contributing to a motion moved by Chairman of Senate Committee on Environment, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, calling on the government to give priority to the environment.

The Senate was deliberating on this issue a day after the World Environment Day, marked every June 5 to create awareness for environmental issues and protection of the environment.

According to Mr Abe, it is difficult to buy food from areas battling environmental challenges like Ogoni land in Rivers State, “because you might be buying poison.”

He charged the government to take decisive steps to safe the country and citizens.

In addition, he appealed to the Senate Committee on Environment to investigate the Ogoni clean-up exercise launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in June 2016.

After deliberations, the Senate called on government at all levels to create a feasible framework for realization of the protection of the environment under the Sustainable Development Goals and also urged the Ministry of Environment to create awareness and sensitize Nigerians in environmental issues with a view to safeguarding the health and well-being of the citizen.

The lawmakers further advised the Federal and State Ministries of Education to include Environmental studies in the curriculum of school children and accelerate the passage of the Erosion Prevention and Control Bill, 2017 (SB. 32) and other environment protection related Bills.

It also mandated the Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies to create a framework to stop and prevent further deforestation and degradation, and for replacement of lost vegetative cover and further directed the Ministry as well as other relevant agencies to create a sustainable and viable framework to counter climate change and its effects.

In his remarks, the Senate President, Mr Bukola Saraki, thanked the Chairman Committee on Environment.

He said it’s very important “we continue to play our role,” urging Nigeria to take control of its environment by carrying out effective legislative duty.

Modupe Gbadeyanka

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

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