Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed Monday commissioned first environmental science laboratory in the state designed for a test of a minimum of 15 parameters of each of the core environmental components.
Commissioning the project at BASEPA headquarters in Bauchi, the governor said the modern environmental science facility will serve as a reference centre for testing the quality of core environmental components which include water, soil and plants.
According to him, the laboratory will also serve as a one-stop-solution centre for analysing and safe custody of samples gathered from the environmental scan.
To this end, Governor Bala Mohammed directed BASEPA to conduct environmental scan for the state to highlight both existing and anticipated environmental problems across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
He said the move is to identify vulnerable groups, measure the magnitude of the problems, proffer solutions in accordance with the Best Management Practices (BMP) and provide costs estimates for implementation of the proffered solutions.
“I feel highly honoured to be in the premises of BASEPA, and welcome everyone to this very important occasion, which is the first of its kind in the history of our dear State. I am happy to inform you that, the sophistication associated with the installed capacity in the laboratory allows for a test of a minimum of 15 parameters of each of the core environmental components listed above.”
“This, is but a platform for enriching lives in the context of a well-protected environment hence, the aspiration of every progressing society. We do everything within the context of the environment.”
The governor while observing that, no sustainable development could be achieved without being mindful of the environment, said his administration is not only safeguarding the environment, but also improving it for future generation.
Governor Bala Mohammed who recalled that, the administration had inherited unwholesome environment from the previous administration, said so far, the state government has recorded gigantic improvement in waste management through construction of modern and durable waste collection centres.
“It is strong fact that makes environment our priority. Government knowing fully well the need for evidence and empirical data in dealing with emerging environmental problems, we join the global trend of responding to issues based on scientific facts.”
The governor said the state government is currently formulating favourable policies that will clearly outline and inform the citizens of the state about their roles and responsibilities in ensuring clean environment.
He said the policies are not for once initiated to inconvenience anyone, but his administration deemed it necessary to involve stakeholders to maximally contribute in the journey of ensuring sustainable development.
He said the draft of Bauchi State Waste and Pest Management Policy which is currently under review by relevant stakeholders and recent directives for environmental sanitation exercise in the entire state are parts of effort to achieve clean environment.
On the award of excellence he received having rated Bauchi State as the cleanest state in the North Eastern region of the country by “Clean-Up Nigeria”, the governor expressed gratitude to the organisation for the honour and assured of sustaining the development.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Housing and Environment, Hamisu Muazu Shira who described the environmental science laboratory as the first of its kind in the state, assured Governor Bala Mohammed of the total support of the Ministry for effective implementation of his policies and programmes in the sector.
He said that the state government has released the sum of N28million for the construction of modern waste collection centers in the state.
On his part, Director General of BASEPA, Dr Kabir Ibrahim told the governor that already a number of development partners have declared interest to partner with the the Agency for environmental management.
Similarly, during the programme, the Registrar, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria, Dr Yakubu Mohammed Baba decorated Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed as a fellow of the Council. END
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