FEC okays environment policy, bids minister farewell

The Federal Executive Council Wednesday approved the Revised National Policy on Environment.

The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, told State House reporters after the FEC meeting that the policy
was first formulated in 1991 and last revised in 1999.

She stated: "What the policy does is to look at all the different inter-sectoral issues that we have whether it is with water, health, power or agriculture and bring them in to have a multi-sectoral response.

"It has become imperative that we’ve this new policy framework because what we really wanted to do is to capture some of the emerging issues that have come since then as regards environment.

"These concerns such as climate change, coastal erosion, desertification, erosion, pollution and insecurity which have been exacerbated by the struggles for environment resources, we see this in country at all levels.

"So, this new policy framework that was approved today (Wednesday), puts in place a much better opportunity to engage with states, local governments and communities and executing the priorities of the change agenda."

Our correspondent reports that the FEC held a valedictory session for and eulogised the environment minister who was recently appointed as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.