BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The Federal Government has sought for coordinated actions among stakeholders in the environment sector to whittle down risks associated with Greenhouse Gas (GhG) emissions in the environment and public health space.
This was even as the Federal Government listed rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion, rising energy demand, and intensified transportation as major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
The need for partnership was highlighted at the National Stakeholders’ Engagement on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and the Declaration of a Public Health Emergency on Environmental-Related Diseases on Monday in Abuja.
It was organised by the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) with support from the Federal Ministry of Environment, NNPC, ACReSAL, National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), NESREA, and NetZence.
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal promised that the ministry would provide policy leadership and strengthen climate and environmental reforms nationwide.
Lawal, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Mahmud Kambari maintained that the responsibility for protecting the environment does not rest on government alone.
He enjoined regulatory agencies, industries, transport and energy sectors, civil society, and development partners to support the National Emergency Response Initiative on Environmental Public Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (NERI-EPHIGGE) unveiled by EHCON.
The minister said: "The cost of inaction is greater than the cost of intervention. The science is clear. The health evidence is undeniable. The risks are immediate. The time to act is now."
NERI-EPHIGGE was designed to strengthen Environmental Health Service (EHS) delivery, promote climate responsive public health interventions and enhance the professional capacity of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) across the country to mitigate GhG emissions.
The implementation framework focused on strengthening environmental health regulations and enforcement, deploying nationwide surveillance and response units, introducing mandatory emission testing and compliance certification, promoting cleaner energy and sustainable industrial practices, encouraging low-emission transport systems, and driving robust public awareness campaigns.
Lawal added: "Evidence from environmental surveillance and health statistics shows increasing cases of respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and other environmentally linked health conditions. What we face today is no longer solely an environmental issue but a public health emergency."
Threat On Livelihoods
The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of EHCON, Dr Yakubu Baba said that the agency conducted extensive field surveillance, environmental health assessments, and stakeholder consultation on the rising burden of environmental-related diseases linked to Greenhouse Gas (GhG) emissions.
He noted that the pollutant are not just harmful to the environment but directly endangering the health, productivity, and livelihoods of Nigerians.
Baba said that the event was not merely a meeting but a national call to action, assuring that EHCON is fully committed to the implementation of NERI-EPHIGGE.
Implementing NERI-EPHIGGE
The implementation framework for NERI-EPHIGGE provides a structured, coordinated, and results-driven national response.
Baba disclosed that the success of the initiative will depend largely on the dedication, professionalism, and competence of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) across Nigeria.
He informed that EHPs will conduct field inspections, identify high-risk emission sources, educate communities on environmental health risks, enforce compliance in collaboration with regulatory agencies, and serve as the bridge between government policy and grassroots implementation.
Baba promised that every EHP engaged to enforce the initiative will be duly licensed, trained, and empowered to deliver on the national mandate.
"EHCON stands ready to lead the technical implementation of this initiative, working closely with all stakeholders to safeguard the health of Nigerians and protect our environment, " he added.
The registrar hinted that environment-related diseases linked to greenhouse gas emissions now rank among Nigeria’s most pressing but under-recognised public health challenges.
He appreciated development partners, States, Local Governments and private sectors for supporting the initiative, as well as Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) for their dedication to public service.
Baba assured that EHCON will lead the technical implementation of the initiative by working closely with all stakeholders to safeguard the health of Nigerians and protect the environment.
Rising Respiratory Illnesses
The Chief Executive Officer of Oxytane Africa Investment, Mr. Obirki Tamarankro Jullano warned that greenhouse gas emissions pose serious environmental and public health threats.
He assured Oxytane Africa’s commitment to working with the Federal Government and National Clean Air Programme to reduce emissions and protect public health.
Jullano added: "Nigeria depends heavily on hydrocarbon-refined fuels– about 90 percent for industry and transport.
"This reliance is linked to rising respiratory illnesses, lung cancer, and heart diseases among people who have never smoked or consumed alcohol. The air we breathe has become a silent but dangerous threat."
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution accounts for 7 million premature deaths annually, making it a leading risk factor for diseases like stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses.
The NERI-EPHIGGE is expected to provide a clear roadmap to curtail greenhouse gas emissions nationwide
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