News
NESREA Releases New Environmental Audit Guidelines

NESREA Releases New Environmental Audit Guidelines
By: Michael Mike
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has unveiled new guidelines on environmental audit in the country.
This was unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja at a workshop-cum-report release programme organized by NESREA in partnership with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a global think tank based in New Delhi, India, having in attendance over 350 participants comprising NESREA accredited consultants and staff of the agency.
According to the Director General of NESREA, Dr. Innocent Barikor, an environmental audit is a series of activities undertaken with respect to the operations of a facility or an organisation to evaluate its environmental performance, noting that it is not a one-time step but an ongoing activity that aims to identify and correct environmental issues that arise during the operation of a project and improve operating and environmental conditions in industries.

He said the review of the guidelines was necessitated by observations that existing audit reports lacked essential technical data, hindering accurate assessments of industrial performance.
Barikor while officially unveiling the Environmental Audit Guidelines and manual, said: “The Agency has observed that audit reports received from consultants come in different formats, lack important information, and in some cases they do not reflect the actual status of the process of the operating facility. Also, these reports do not adequately cover the information included in the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) developed during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The new guidelines are intended to streamline the processes associated with undertaking and review of the environmental audits”.
Barikor added: “This revised guideline is an outcome of the collaborative efforts between CSE and NESREA. I would like to extend my appreciation to CSE for the support they have provided to NESREA in the development of these guidelines, needed to standardize environmental audit reports in our country. Going forward the Agency will be verifying the parameters in the Audit Report submitted by consultants and will also take a decisive action against any consultant that engages in falsification, fabrication and plagiarism”
In preparing the guidelines, officials of NESREA and CSE reviewed the existing audit guidelines and the corresponding environmental audit reports from different sectors and concluded that the existing audit reports lacked technical data and information required for depicting the performance of the industries.
Speaking at the event, Ishita Garg of CSE said: “A thoroughly performed environmental audit allows industries to analyse the ambiguities in the implementation of management plans and take corrective measures. It also helps industries improve the process efficiency by optimizing the usage of resources, increasing production and thereby resulting in monetary benefits”.
She added that on the regulatory front, “a comprehensive audit report can be helpful as it will assist in assessing the compliance status of the industry and understand its environmental performance. Comparing data of two to three years can ascertain whether the performance of an industry is improving or declining.”
Garg said: “Most of the audit reports had enough of qualitative information but lacked in basic quantitative data like the production capacity, energy and water consumption, quantity of wastewater and solid waste generated. The reports also have only one-year data which makes it difficult to compare the performance of the industry with the previous years. In the absence of sufficient data, the whole audit process becomes ineffective,” she adds.
The Director, Inspection and Enforcement, NESREA, Mr. Isa Abdussalam, said: “The new guidelines are more robust, focusing on quantitative and technical data from the industries along with the information on mitigation measures taken in various sectors over the years. Apart from being of immense use for project proponents and assistance to experts in conducting audits, these guidelines would also be useful for the regulatory bodies to review the submitted audit reports.”
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is Nigeria’s foremost environmental protection and enforcement Agency. The agency has the mandate to enforce all environmental laws, guidelines, policies, standards regulations in Nigeria. NESREA also has the responsibility to set standards, to prohibit processes and the use of equipment or technology that harm/ undermine the environment, and to enforce compliance with provision of international agreements, protocols, conventions and treaties to which Nigeria is signatory.
NESREA Releases New Environmental Audit Guidelines
News
Resettlement: Baga community gifts Zulum farm produce

Resettlement: Baga community gifts Zulum farm produce
By: Our Reporter
Residents in Baga, a community in Kukawa Local Government Area, have presented gifts of farm produce including onion, watermelon and smoked fish to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to appreciate his bold effort of resettling Baga town over the last 3 years.
According to the residents, the resettlement of Baga town has provided them with financial independence, unlike when they were at the IDP camps where they depended on handouts to survive.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Abba Aji Alhaji Aji said, “Your Excellency, we want to most sincerely express our gratitude to you for your bold initiative to reopen Baga in September, 2020, and resettled us back to our communities.”

“In the past, we lived in IDP camps where we were unable to fend for ourselves and only looked out for handouts every month to survive. But now with your effort, we are in our homes in dignity and honour, we go out to farm, fish, and do all sorts of jobs to earn our livelihood.”
“Your Excellency, these farm produce you see are direct from our farms. We earn as much as we can eat and sell some to cater to our other needs. We came here to present this little gift to appreciate you and all the risks you have taken to ensure we are in our homes.”
“Sir, we would love to have presented much more than this. Had you come here at the peak of our harvest, you would be surprised by what we will present to you.”
In addition to the gifts, the community also presented an award of public service to Governor Zulum for the developmental projects he cited in Baga and all other parts of Borno State.
Governor Zulum expressed immense gratitude to the good people of Baga community for their resilience and commitment to hard work and nation building.
Resettlement: Baga community gifts Zulum farm produce
News
Zulum inaugurates 48-classroom school for almajirai

Zulum inaugurates 48-classroom school for almajirai
. Borno targets 1m jobs as Baga-Chad water clearance nears completion
By: Michael Mike
The governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has inaugurated a new 48-classroom integrated learning High Islamic College in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area.
The college, which was unveiled on Friday, is specifically designed to offer almajirai a comprehensive second chance at acquiring a balanced education. Its curriculum seamlessly integrates modern formal education with traditional Islamic knowledge and practical vocational skills training.
Speaking at the brief inauguration ceremony, Zulum described the initiative as a critical part of his administration’s policy of empowering the youth to address the problem of illiteracy and the root causes of insecurity facing the state.
The governor stated: “We will introduce Mathematics and English so that the non-formal educational system shall be streamlined with the formal educational system.
“We will ensure they get quality education which can qualify them to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) that allows them admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.”

Expressing excitement about the enrollment drive in Baga town, Zulum said: “I’m so happy to note that the enrollment is very good, and I have seen the number of children who came out to receive us. We shall do everything possible to retain them until they complete their studies. Therefore, I want to introduce a meal per day to the students here.”
The Baga school project is the latest in a series of about 20 similar integrated schools established by the Zulum administration across the state. It is part of the efforts towards sustaining the administration’s commitment to transforming the lives of millions of out-of-school children by imparting numeracy and literacy skills to them, which will enable them to contribute to the development of Borno State.
The Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, noted that the state government had provided students with free uniforms, books and other learning materials.
“About 300 uniforms have been provided so far, but in Baga, there is a demand for over 500. We are sending more books, uniforms, dignity kits and bags. The government supplied all these items for free, absolutely free.
“The teachers are community-based and 23 of them are all residents of the Baga community. The principal was, however, promoted from the Local Education Authority,” the commissioner said.
The Governor was accompanied by the member of the House of Representatives, Engr Bukar Talba, member of the House of Assembly, representing Kukawa, Karta Maina Ma’Aji, commissioner of information and Internal Affairs, Prof. Usman Tar, Commissioner of Local Government and Emirates Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele, permanent secretary, Government House, Mustapha Ali Busuguma, Executive Secretary, BOGIS, Engr Adam Bababe, and other senior government officials.
. Borno targets 1m jobs as Baga-Chad water clearance nears completion
As part of the Borno State Government’s job creation and livelihood drive, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday inspected the Baga-Chad Republic Water Clearance Project which is in its final phase.
The project focuses on clearing decades of silt and invasive plant species from the river channels linking the town of Baga in Nigeria to the receding Lake Chad and opening transportation routes to the Republic of Chad.

Governor Zulum noted that when the project is completed, over one million jobs in agriculture, fishing, and through the trans-border trade will be created.
“Millions of jobs will be created once this clearance is completed. This is one of our major targets; once this work is completed, we can restore millions of jobs to our people,” he assured.
Governor Zulum also stated that the project would enhance the means of livelihood of the community.
He added: “You have seen people start fishing activities here, and above all, in the next few months, the work will be completed, and thereby, commodities will be conveyed from Baga to the Republic of Chad via waterways.
“It is one of the significant projects, which will enhance the socio-economic activities of the people and ensure they have more access to wealth. Above all, the movement of goods and services will increase. I believe this will be a game changer.”

The governor commended the federal government, the Nigerian military, the Naval Commander, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff “and all other military officers working very hard to ensure that access to Chad is open via the waterways.”
Zulum inaugurates 48-classroom school for almajirai
News
ONSA engages Kaduna stakeholders in non-kinetic counter-terrorism meeting

ONSA engages Kaduna stakeholders in non-kinetic counter-terrorism meeting
By: Zagazola Makama
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has engaged stakeholders in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State as part of ongoing non-kinetic measures to counter terrorism in the state.
The meeting, held at the Giwa Local Government Secretariat on Thursday, was attended by the Chief of Staff to the Kaduna State Governor, Hon. Sani Liman, the Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Mohammed, the Chairman of Giwa LGA, Ahmed Samaila, traditional rulers, and other community leaders.
Sources told Zagazola that discussions focused on strengthening community-based approaches to ending insecurity.
The meeting was hitch-free and fruitful.
ONSA engages Kaduna stakeholders in non-kinetic counter-terrorism meeting
-
News2 years ago
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year ago
EYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns2 years ago
Army University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS2 years ago
A History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions2 years ago
Tinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
News5 months ago
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS