By Doris Esa
The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja, inaugurated an inter-agency committee to ensure an e-waste free environment at the end of the digital switch over in Nigeria.
A statement issued by Mrs Amaka Ejiofor, Assistant Director (Press) of NESREA, said the committee comprised officials of NESREA and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
She said the committee was set up to strengthen the collaboration between the two agencies in the management of e-waste.
Speaking while inaugurating the committee, the Director – General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro, said that the hazardous content inherent in e-waste posed a threat to human health and the environment
Jauro, who was represented by the Director, Inspection and Enforcement, Mr Abdulsalaam Isa, said there was need to ensure that wastes were handled in environmentally sound manner.
He said that NESREA had taken necessary steps to rid the country of e-waste by developing and operationalising the National Environmental (Electrical and Electronic Sector) Regulations, 2022.
Jauro said the regulations had been revised and ready for gazetting and that a guide for importers of used electrical and electronic equipment had been developed, noting that registration of importers of electrical electronic equipment had been carried out to regulate their activities.
According to him, NESREA has also conducted training for importers of used electrical and electronic equipment on the effects of importation of e-waste in the country.
Jauro said that the high-point in the management of e-waste in the country was the successful execution of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) funded project with notable accomplishments in Lagos, where the pilot project was carried out.
The NESREA boss said that under the project, NESREA midwifed the establishment of 30 collection centres in Lagos State.
He said that NESREA under the GEF project, upgraded two recycling facilities in Lagos and also carried out training of government regulators in the e-waste value chain.
Jauro expressed his delight at the collaboration between NESREA and NBC, which he said would proffer solutions to e-waste from the broadcasting sector. (NAN)
