The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency ( NESREA) has sealed up eight ongoing construction projects at Gombe State University.
The Assistant Chief Engineer Mrs Anastasia Akhigbe who lead the enforcement action team from the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja, told our reporter in an interview that, the team was directed from the headquarters to carry out the assignment as part of the agency’s effort to ensure strict compliance to the environmental rules.
According to her, the action became necessary as a result of non compliance to the several warnings issued by the agency to the contractors on the need to follow due process, adding that the agency had already exhausted all options it needed to have the contractors comply to the rules.
She explained that, the agency had earlier, issued out notification of compliance which required the contractors to provide an Environmental Impact Assessment from the Ministry of Environment but the contractors failed to comply, on seeing that, she said, the agency sent Violation Letters, followed by a ‘stop work order’ but yet, they failed to comply to the order.
Akhigbe also stated that, the action would also send a signal to other contractor to know the need to abide by the law. for the environment to be protected it is required by the law that, Environmental Impact Assessment be carried out, because it helps you on those environmental issues that may arise in other to prepare mitigation measures.” She added.
According to her, the agency is not only interested in development but rather, sustainable development that would move the country forward.
