NESREA Threatens Sanctions for Environmental Defaults

Dr. Ngeri Benebo, director general, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has said that the agency will sanction organisations that failed to adhere to the recommendation of consultants on environmental compliance.

Benebo who spoke at a workshop organised for accredited consultants of the agency in Abuja, said that the agency cannot afford to accommodate continuous degradation of the environment adding that the agency will not deter to blacklist erring accredited consultants.

She said: “We are looking at sanctioning erring facilities because some of the consultants have also complained to us because when they consult for facilities, they tell them what to do but they complain that they don’t have money.

“And they make money so we cannot allow degradation on our environment to continue. When we start sanctioning the facilities, they will take the consultants serious.”

She said it was imperative for the agency to promote its mandate for the benefit of the public.

On the preparation of poor environmental audit, Benebo charged the consultants to always check their reports against inaccurate information, outdated references among other irregularities.

“We will not hesitate to blacklist any erring consultants who fail to live up to expectations. When such environmental audit reports are faulty with a lot misinformation, the agency is placed in a difficult situation to make some informed decisions,” she said.

However, Benebo urged the consultants to undertake environmental reviews and audits that are sufficient to meet the agency’s environmental legal standard and ensure proper supervision of their staff to avoid misrepresentation and misinformation of data.