Environmental Health Value Chain Will Revamp Nigeria's Economy - Baba

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja 

   

   L-R- Ambassador, Republic of Poland to Nigeria, Joanna Tarnawska; Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi; Registrar of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCN), Dr Yakubu Baba; Deputy Registrar of EHCN, Dr Andy Ukah; Head of Department, Education & Training, EHCN, Mrs Ibrahim Bolanle and Assistant Director of Special Duties, EHCN, Mrs Jummai Ahmed at the unveiling of Gazetted Practitioners Register in Abuja Tuesday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja. 

The Registrar of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCN), Dr Yakubu Baba has disclosed that environmental health value chain will revamp Nigeria's economy and raise the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative. 

He stated this in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening of a 3-day National Environmental Health Business Forum, organised by EHCN with the theme, "Developing Sustainable Environmental Health Business Model in Support of Nigeria’s Economic Diversification Drive". 

The event coincided with the unveiling of EHCN service charter, customised seal for practitioners, rank badges, gazetted practitioners register and information education, as well as communication materials. 

Baba stated that the customised seal, which was produced by the Printing and Minting section of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) contained the names and  registration number of every licensed practitioners. 

He said that the service charter was established given that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration harped on the need for the implementation of servicom across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government. 

Baba assured that every application requested in EHCN would be approved within a minimum of two weeks in accordance with servicom, adding that the essence of the summit is to create an enabling environment for the private sector to invest in environmental health, which he described as a serious business. 

According to him, "On the 6th of September, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the amended Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) law which led to the creation of EHCN". 

He stated that the new name unearthed additional responsibilities for the council, noting that EHCN is expected to regulate 21 components of environmental health such as food safety, abattoir sanitation, sanitation in the hospitality industries, international regulation and among others according to World Health Organisation (WHO). 

Baba was optimistic that the summit will avail opportunities that would lead to the creation of 10,000 jobs within environmental health value chain, stating that EHCN needs an enabling environment for private sector participation. 

Declaring the forum open, the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi lamented that the environment is increasingly impacted by negative trends that leads to outbreak of diseases and other health conditions.

He stated that the government is concerned about the quality of services in the pharmaceutical sector, insisting that operators must embrace the laid down rules and registrations by protecting and preserving the environment in line with circular economy agenda. 

The minister said that every professional must work within the stipulated guidelines and standards, especially on issues pertaining to climate change, adding that environmental health risks and exposures are responsible for nearly half of the global burden of mortality rate.

Addeessing the participants via Zoom, a lecturer at Australian National University, Dr Andrew Mathieson emphasised the need for commercialising products and services in environmental health for optimal results. 

On his part, the National Consultant of Public Health and Environment, World Health Organisation (WHO) Nigeria, Dr Edwin Isotu Edeh said that 29 percent of national disease burden in Nigeria was linked to risk factors in the environment. 

While commending EHCN for the laudable business initiative, he empasised that the programme will create jobs and reduce unemployment in Nigeria.

The Ambassador, Republic of Poland to Nigeria, Joanna Tarnawska was hopeful that the deliberations will end harmful practices that impact human health in the environment.