Yemisi Izuora
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced a new environment policy to enhance its waste management practice and reduce pollution across its areas of operation.
This was disclosed by the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, at this year’s World Environment Day celebration held at the NNPC Towers, Abuja.
In a keynote address delivered on his behalf by NNPC Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gas and Power, Engr. Saidu Mohammed, the NNPC helmsman said the new environment policy would enable the corporation to effectively manage waste streams generated during its operations by using the best available technology to ensure that the people and environment are protected.
He said NNPC was inclined towards continual improvement of its waste management practice in line with the policy which he recently signed, adding that the corporation would henceforth employ the “principle of the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – to achieve goal zero of no-harm to people and no harm to environment throughout its operations”.
The GMD noted that the theme for this year’s World Environment Day, “Beat Plastic Pollution” was a call to action for everyone to rise up to tackle one of the greatest contemporary environmental challenges by making positive changes in their everyday lives to reduce the heavy burden of plastic pollution on the environment.
“We have all contributed to this problem – mostly unknowingly – and we must work together to reduce and ultimately to end plastic pollution”, he stated, adding that plastic was composed of major toxic pollutants that could cause great harm to the environment in the form of air, water and land pollution.
On his part, NNPC Chief Operating Officer (COO), Corporate Services, Mr. Isah Inuwa, said NNPC, as a responsible corporate entity, was obliged to celebrate the World Environment Day which is a day set aside for people around the world to take ownership of their environment and actively engage in its protection.
Also speaking at the event, General Manager, Group Health Safety and Environment Department, Engr. Ahmed Rufai Shehu, said in its bid to institutionalize proper waste management practice across NNPC, the department had disposed of all identified electronic waste (e-waste) in the Towers in an environmentally friendly manner.
He said the Department had also conducted awareness campaigns to cleaners and was in the process of introducing effective waste segregation practice in the Towers as pilot, adding that NNPC was eager to join the world in the bid to reduce the menace posed by plastic pollution.
He commended the GMD for signing the NNPC environmental policy.
The guest lecturer, Dr. (Mrs.) Augusta Ayotamuno of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, said more than 8million tons of plastics were dumped in the ocean every year and that about $13billion was required annually to clean up the ocean.
She advocated proper environmental practice through strict adherence to the three Rs, segregation of waste in coded bins as well as transformation of solid waste.
She commended NNPC on its environmental policy and called for strict enforcement to ensure compliance.
The World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated globally on the 5th of June every year.
The goal is to mobilize citizens and organizations to take ownership of the environment, clean it up and put in place modalities to addressing issues that impact negatively on its sustenance and viability.