From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Concerned with the poor state of environmental safety standards in the country, most especially at workplaces, the Senate on Tuesday passed the first reading a bill to regulate and control the training, basic skills development, registration and practice of environment and safety management in Nigeria with a view to ensure improved and quality service delivery.
Through the establishment of a Bill sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip Orji Kalu titled; “Environmental and safety management institute Bill, 2022 (SB. 1015)” an effective legal and institutional framework for the training and regulation of the practice of environment and safety management across the nation will be implemented.
In order to achieve its objective a Chartered Institute of Environment and Safety Management is proposed to be established, the institute according to its sponsor will be charged with the duty of educating, training, examining and setting standards for training in the field of environment and safety management. The proposed Institute will also compel the practitioner in the industry to be sufficiently equipped to cope with the dynamics of the environment and safety management world.
Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Ajayi Boroffice presented the bill during Tuesday’s plenary.
Following a voice vote in favour of the Bill, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the plenary, referred the bill for second reading.
The explanatory memorandum of the bill also reveals that a Governing council shall be established to oversee the operation of the institute and its functions shall include; to provide physical and or online full-time and part-time courses of instruction, professional, technical and specialized training in environmental assessment, environmental planning and management, environmental economics and security, environmental sustainability and protection, environmental health, occupational health and environmental safety, food and water safety, industrial security, school safety management, forestry and agricultural safety, terrestrial and atmospheric safety, environmental emergency and disaster management, as well as community and home safety.