ECOWAS countries cooperate to fight environmental hazard

The network, West African Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (WANECE), according to a press statement endorsed by the Chief Press Secretary is geared towards combating environmental crimes. The network was launched in Abuja by Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, the  Minister of State for Niger Delta and the Supervising Minister for Environment represented by the […]

The network, West African Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (WANECE), according to a press statement endorsed by the Chief Press Secretary is geared towards combating environmental crimes. The network was launched in Abuja by Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, the  Minister of State for Niger Delta and the Supervising Minister for Environment represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Taiye Haruna.
The statement said further that the minister while declaring open the inaugural meeting of the network observed that the problem of hazardous waste was a huge burden for the sub-region.
The statement reads: “West Africa is increasingly becoming a destination for hazardous chemicals and near-end-of-life electronics. The region has few regulations in place to address the importation of hazardous chemicals and unwanted electronic waste; limited capacity to inspect incoming shipments at ports; and little ability to safely manage hazardous chemicals, and recycling of electronics at the end of their useful life.”
In her remarks,  the Director General/Chief Executive of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Dr (Mrs.) Ngeri S. Benebo, stressed the need for West African countries to team up to protect the environment.
She summarized the need for the network thus: “When we work  together in our sub-region, collaborate with each other, share experiences and exchange timely information, we can effectively police our national and sub-regional borders against clandestine and illegal traffic and dumping of toxic and hazardous wastes, as well as other forms of environmental crimes.”
For ECOWAS Director for Environment, Mr. Johnson Boanuh, West Africa is a sub-region still grappling with environmental challenges such as land degradation, air pollution, e-waste and dumping of hazardous chemicals. This he said, is despite “the abundant land, water, wildlife, coastal and other biodiversity which the region is blessed with”.
WANECE, he pointed out, would help member countries of ECOWAS to fashion strategies to protect the environment on which the economy of the region thrives.
The decision to set up WANECE was taken during the 9th International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement held in Whistler, Canada in 2011. The launch of the network was hosted by NESREA in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission.
Nigeria is to serve as the secretariat of the network through NESREA, for the role of the country in discouraging the dumping of hazardous chemicals and e-waste on the sub-region.