The Enugu State House of Assembly has passed the Enugu State Environmental and Climate Protection Bill.
The bill for a law to provide for Environmental and Climate Protection and Management for Enugu state and connected purposes (HB 12), 2024 which aims at checkmating environmental pollution in the state was passed after a robust consideration and adoption of changes made on the bill.
Leading the debate on the bill, the Majority Leader, Iloabuchi Aniagu, lamented the adverse effects of mining without diligent Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) by miners which negatively affects the state.
Aniagu further stated that the state has suffered a lot of environmental degradation in the past which the current administration is determined to correct by protecting the environment from further degradation.
Supporting the proposed law, Pius Ezugwu member representing Nsukka East Constituency said 80% of erosion in the state is caused by mining activities and must be addressed so as to save the environment.
Malachy Onyechi, member representing Nsukka West constituency supporting the bill said environmental degradation is caused by human activities and must be addressed urgently.
Onyechi called on the state government to stop deforestation in the Nsukka area; “charcoal factories cut down many trees in the area without replacing them,” Onyechi reiterates.
Okey Mbah member representing Nkanu East Constituency posits that Enugu City is sitting on a hole dug by miners for decades; he commended the Peter Mbah administration for trying all possible to stop the illegal activities of the miners.
In his remark, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu, attributed most sickness as caused by environmental pollution inhaled by the people.
The Speaker applauded the lawmakers for the thorough work done and said the bill will help prevent erosion, contamination of water, and deforestation.
He further promised the lawmakers would assist the state government in securing the environment of Enugu State.
