Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said that the Ministry is carrying out research on appropriate technologies and effective data collection to mitigate the dangers of pollution in major cities in Nigeria.
Onu disclosed this while inaugurating the Technical Inter-Ministerial Sub-Committee on Pollution control in Nigeria during the week.
He explained that the Ministry’s officials are at present meeting with inventors and innovators on how to scale up their technologies for effective climate change mitigation.
Onu added that efficient data collection and analysis will enable evidence-based policies to regulate pollution in the country.
He further said that the results of the Ministry’s research efforts would later be availed to relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA’s) and other regulatory authorities to enhance their contribution in regulating pollution.
The Minister referred the committee to a recent World Health Organisation’s (WHO) report which identified road transportation, industries and power generators as major cause of pollution.
In his words, “Road transportation is the primary source of pollution due to high vehicle density, use of old emission technologies and high sulphur content in diesels and gasoline fuel”.
Onu, therefore, charged members of the technical committee to look into other causes of pollution in major cities in the country and recommend appropriate solutions to nip the menace in the bud.
The terms of reference of the technical committee are:Review the 2020 World Bank Report on high cost of air pollution in Lagos and other big cities in the context of the National Action Plan on short-lived climate pollutants approved by Federal Executive Council,Recommend short to medium term remedial measures for cutting down the level of pollution in big cities Proffer technical solutions/appropriate technologies for mitigating/remediating pollution in Nigeria. Any other activities that may assist the committee in carrying out its tasks.
The chairman of the technical committee and Director of Environmental Science Technology, Peter Ekweozor assured the Minister that the committee will do its best to achieve its mandate in line with the terms of reference.