Environmental and Public Health Watch

Crave: The Hidden Biology of Addiction and Cancer

2025-07-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

About the Book Addiction doesn’t always kill quickly. It reshapes biology over time. In Crave, Raphael E. Cuomo, PhD, explores how modern behaviors linked to craving such as overstimulation, disordered eating, and substance use drive the same biochemical conditions that promote inflammation, immune dysregulation, and cancer. Through vivid examples and cutting-edge science, this book reveals how our habits, environments, and choices create a molecular terrain where chronic disease can thrive or recede.

About the Author Raphael E. Cuomo, PhD, is a professor and scientist at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. He is internationally recognized for his research at the intersection of cancer prevention, addiction, and public health. His work bridges molecular biology, epidemiology, and behavior to illuminate the deeper roots of chronic disease. https://raphaelcuomo.com/crave

On Kano Enumeration of Children and Pregnant Women

2025-05-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

By Sani Garba Mohammed

To improve the planning and delivery of quality healthcare programs in Kano State, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), in collaboration with the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board and with support from implementing partners, recently carried out a house-to-house Identification and Enumeration (IE) of all children under five and pregnant women.

Given the lack of reliable data on these key groups, this timely and essential census will provide accurate and dependable information. The data collected, once analyzed, will offer valuable insights to guide the state’s efforts in areas such as immunization and maternal health.

All stakeholders—including the state government, partners, and relevant organizations—are expected to collaborate in utilizing the findings of this exercise to enhance healthcare services across the state.

Kano and the journey to TSTS

2025-05-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

By Sani Garba Mohammed

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Task Shifting refers to “the rational redistribution of tasks among health workforce teams,” where certain responsibilities are delegated from highly qualified health professionals to those with less training and fewer qualifications, in order to maximize the efficient use of available human resources. Task Sharing, on the other hand, involves expanding the range of healthcare workers who are permitted to provide specific services—when it can be done safely and effectively—as a strategy to quickly improve access and quality of care. The overarching goal is to ensure that the right health workers, with the right skills, are in the right place, performing the right tasks.

The Pathfinder Country Director, Amina Dorayi, The Director General, Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, and the Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Dr. Aishatu Abubakar Sadiq at the workshop

Aligned with this global strategy, Nigeria developed the National Task Shifting and Task Sharing (TSTS) policy in 2014. Kano State adopted and domesticated this policy in 2017 to address its human resources for health (HRH) needs. The policy aims to define essential healthcare services and the cadres of frontline health workers qualified to deliver them; provide a framework for empowering more healthcare workers to expand access to care and support the achievement of relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); maximize the competencies of well-trained, mid-level healthcare workers to meet the population’s health needs; promote the efficient and effective use of financial and non-financial resources to scale up essential service delivery across the state.

However, implementation of the policy remained stalled from its adoption until 2024, due to several challenges. The current administration took proactive steps to revive the effort by revising the outdated 2009 state HRH policy, developing a strategic implementation plan, and updating the TSTS policy. This review was carried out in partnership with development organizations to better reflect the current HRH challenges in the state.

Following the review and validation of key policy documents, Pathfinder International, in collaboration with Impact Catalysts, launched a two-year project to actualize the implementation of TSTS. A major component of this initiative was a three-day stakeholder engagement and work planning workshop. The workshop gathered input from various stakeholders on project design, identified ways to integrate TSTS into the state’s sectoral plans, and established collaboration mechanisms to ensure successful implementation.

Additionally, a separate co-creation workshop was held for stakeholders from Kano and Kaduna states to develop a TSTS implementation framework. Discussions focused on training and clinical mentoring strategies, a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plan, building a network of care, ensuring sustainability, and outlining the next steps.

These advancements were made possible through the strong commitment of the current Kano State government to addressing HRH gaps, with a long-term vision of recruiting and retaining the necessary healthcare workforce.

With continued support from the Kano State Government, stakeholders, and partners such as Pathfinder International, TSTS implementation in Kano is poised to bring about a significant and transformative change in health service delivery.

The Coming of 'Kano Manage PHC'

2023-12-09T04:51:00.000-08:00

By Sani Garba Mohammed

In 2021, an assessment was carried out in the primary healthcare facilities in Kano state across five thematic areas of the World Health Organization’s framework for leadership and management which are functional governance, institutional processes, management competency, performance management, and enabling environment.

The finding from the baseline assessment showed key deficits in seven thematic areas that need a serious address for the primary health care centres to work efficiently. The thematic areas are data management; financial management, facility management, Human Resources for Health, logistics and supply chain, planning and community relations, and quality of care.

On data management, the assessed health facilities struggle with the submission of fully populated National Health Management Information System, NHMIS forms; over 50% of the assessed health facilities were unable to conduct and manage review sessions to disseminate and use data to inform program decisions; Primary Health Care Centres, PHCs do not have a system for proper storage and archival of data tools; on Human Resources for Health, HRH, health facilities performed fairly with major gaps in the management and tracking staff leaves and performance appraisal; health workers lateness and absence from work continues to be an issue in PHCs; health workers are typically informed of their job functions “informally”, structured orientation is not well implemented or lacking entirely across HFs; on logistic and supply chain, over 60% of health facilities performed well for quantification and drug dispensing subthemes, while underperforming in stock management and DRF subthemes; surprisingly 24% of PHCs do not communicate the recommended drug dosage, usage and adverse effects to patients.

On planning and community relations, the majority of the assessed health facilities conduct planning and community relations activities but some gaps remain with the documentation of findings from the planning process and routine implementation of action points from WDC meetings. On financial management, health facilities performed abysmally in budgeting with over 80% of the assessed health facilities struggling with budget development; health facilities performed fairly at conducting expense management with suboptimal delineation of roles for some expenses processes exposing the inadequacies of financial management processes; while funds are remitted by health facilities to the appropriate banks, some financial management processes (transmission and documentation of receipts) that will improve the transparency of fund management is lacking, and lastly, quality of care, most primary health care centres have poor/no system for soliciting patient feedback and key performance indicators for tracking quality of care; also many facilities do not/poorly document Quality Management Team meetings and do not know how to develop Quality Improvement Plan; and 72% of them do not fully fill their referral forms & only 6% of their follow-up on referral cases.

Based on these findings and in an effort to address them, supporting partners from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, BMGF, TA Connect, and Solina Centre for International Development and Research, SCIDaR joins hands with Kano state primary health care management board, KNSPHCMB via the state ministry of health to offer helping hand in addressing the finding.

A program ‘Kano State Primary Health Care Management Capacity Strengthening Project’ which is simply coined ‘Kano Manage PHC’ came into being to address the challenges identified. Two [Nasarawa and Dawakin Tofa] out of the six zones under the board were identified where the facility managers of the facilities under the zone will be trained for ten days on the seven identified thematic areas in two batches, the first batch held between 21^st August to 1^st September 2023.

The training was provided by the competent team of program officers related to the thematic area from the board, including lecturers from Kano State College of Health Science and Technology, and partners of SCIDar who are all experts in each chosen thematic area.

Participants were intensively and rigorously trained via power presentation, group, and plenary session, and all participated actively.

The program will cover 6 months where by mentors are assigned to the participating facilities for mentoring and supervision to ensure all these thematic areas are given their due concern and treatment.

It is expected that the facility managers trained in the first phase [and those in the second phase] will justify the training received and bring into practice lessons learned in administering their facilities so that they become role models to others in every aspect.

Sani Garba Mohammed, Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Na’ibawa Kano.

The challenges faced by Environmental health Practitioners in Nigeria

2022-02-24T06:33:00.001-08:00

By Aniefiok Moses, FRSH, FSEH, MEN, PhD Culled from Journal Of Environmental Health, Vol 3, No 2, June 2006

For the purpose of this discussion, we shall consider the challenges under three main heading. These are • Structural and political • Attitudinal and psychological (human Factors • Attitudinal and technological Structural and political The Nigerian nation health policy (revised) and health resource allocation are skewed in favour of curative services. Although the health policy emphasized primary health care as its corner stone, budgetary provision has been deliberately made to strengthen and sustain expensive medical care at the expense of preventive health services at the ratio of 5: 1.

Again the total budget for the health sector has continued to fall short of World Health Organization’s recommended 11% of total budge to be allocated to health in developing countries. The lack of equity in the allocation of health resources to keep the system going. Disproportionate allocation of resource to preventive health services started from the time of first national development plan, where allocation was N6.0m for curative and N1.0M for preventive health service. This trend has continued unabated to date. Equally, the proposed National Health bill being described as national hospital and health facility bill” has been drafted to strengthen the provision of medical services in the proposed bill.

Obviously, environmental health services are resource intensive and the outcome is usually intangible at least not immediately, unlike building a health Centre or procuring an ambulance for the district cottage hospital. Politicians are usually engulfed in this web of maneuvering resources to please the sensibility of the public at the expense of their health. The politicians end up using public resources to build disease palaces and create a vicious circle where sick of malaria, for instance, go to the hospital to get ‘cured’ and returned to community, get sick again and return to the hospital again; and this process continue unstopped. Although we always recite that prevention is better and cheaper than cure, the reverse is the order in our society.

Well! An aspect of environmental health which usually attracts the attention of the politicians is solid waste disposal. Their aim is to move the waste from sight in an attempt to maintain clean environment and also to provide patronage to political stooge by hiring any supported as a waste management contractor. At the end more confusion is created as the emergency contractors moved and dump waste everywhere without any recourse to public health implications of their actions. This is what can be termed politicking with the health of the public. Within this scenario, much more is spent on health while very little is achieved. Therefore, there is an urgent need to reverse this trend to put environmental health on the national agenda.

Environmental health services should be well planned and implemented. There should be public-private sector collaboration in a well-coordinated system where professionalism and expertise are the watch word. Attitudinal and psychological (human factor) We have earlier started that environmental health practice and services are both human focused. This makes it one of the most difficult professions, attitudes and general way of life. It involves ‘probing’ into people’s privacy and challenging their very way of life. Most of the time the job of inspection and abatement of nuisances involve entering people’s sitting room, bedroom, kitchen and toilet. For this reason, the practitioners are always in contact with community members. Invariably, most community members usually develop resistance to this ‘probing’ and may also develop and demonstrate some sort of uncooperative attitudes. While this persist, time is usually lost and sometimes the nuisance in question may cause more damage, which may be life threatening or may lead to actual loss of lives.

On the other hand, the practitioners’ attitude and general disposition to their job and the general public is always being called to question. Most EH practitioners have been accused of insensitivity to public feeling and general despondency to their job. Few practitioner have been accused of pursuing self-interest and materialism. Some of these accusation have been quite embarrassing to the profession. The greatest challenge is the negative image these attitude posed to the profession. Some suggestions have been on how to tackle image problems in the profession.

It is pertinent to state that the environmental health officer’s registration council of Nigeria is positioned to deal with negative attitudes and tendencies of the practitioners and to ensure that the profession achieved the objective it was set out to achieve. In this respect, the council will do all in its power to limit negative attitude and ensure compliance to set standard and professional code of ethics so as to preserve the dignity of the profession at all time. In between the attitude of the public and that of the practitioners are psychological issues. Environmental health relates with several other occupation and professional groups. Sometimes there are inter-professional squabbles with the intension to prove professional to superintend over public health issues, the tendency are always to pull down its fabrics against all norms thereby creating inferiority complex among its members. This complex therefore impinged on the psychology of the practitioners either the capability to shift his focus from his professional roles. Indeed, this is a very negative weapon which is not only intended to weaken the profession, but also to ridicule its goal and mandate including its statutory responsibility to the public. Closely link to this is the low educational and socio-economic status of the practitioners.

As a profession that relate closely to community members, the professionals are sometimes seen from the spectrum of those they serve. Economically, environmental health service is still regarded as public service. Most people do not believe that the services should be paid for. Indeed, to date over 99.1% of the practitioners are employed in public institutions and agencies. In fact, record from the council registry showed that none of the 3,000 EHOs so far registered is self-employed, with the low income of the practitioners, they are always looked down upon. This creates negative socio-psychological impact on the practitioners and the profession. Low educational status of the practitioners is a great hindrance to environmental health development.

The history of environmental health indicates that from the inception of the profession in Britain. The practitioners were poorly trained, albeit to the level of skills needed at the time. As a highly skilled profession, environmental health practitioners should be well trained and always ready to respond to the need of the society. The pedigree of environmental health manpower development has affected the status of the profession.

The development of environmental health profession has also been hampered by inadequate personnel with the prerequisite knowledge and skills to function efficiently. Again lack of resource persons to impart the necessary knowledge and skills have been a serious hindrance to the development of the profession. To date and before the present effort by the council to reposition the profession to meet the various challenges, there was no university in Nigeria that offered courses in environmental health at the degree level. Since the BSc in environmental & epidemiology program in university of life, now Obafemi Awolowo University [OAU] was scrapped in the 80s, the program could not be mounted by any other university in the country. This situation is likely to persist for a long time unless serious intervention is undertaken by relevant government agencies to liaise with institution outside Nigeria to establish linkage and exchange programs to build up a critical mass of environmental health trainers and faculty members that will be able to deliver environmental health core sources at the BSc degree level.

Environmental and Technological The environment which the professionals operate is very hostile. Apart from inadequate basic infrastructures like good road, water supply and other amenities that supposed to facilitate environmental health services, people awareness about EH matters is still abysmally low. It is still very difficult to show the relationship between environmental health factors like fifth, heat, poor ventilation, poor food hygiene practice, etc. and the health of the community. With such low awareness, it is sometimes very difficult to prescribe any form of strategy to abate environmental nuisance that impact negatively on public health. Indeed there is total lack of environmental health culture in Nigeria. Environmental health technology like environmental health culture is lacking in Nigeria. Most of the basic equipment used for environmental health services are still being imported.

To this end such equipment becomes very costly and unaffordable. There is obvious relevant technology gap. The heavy reliance on imported equipment and sustenance of efficient environmental health services. The problem is compounded by lack of inadequate budgetary provision for equipment, high cost imported equipment, wrong choice of equipment, diversion of equipment to other uses, high stock of obsolete equipment, poor technical support, lack of maintenance culture and lack of spare part. The situation calls for urgent intervention. Nigerians are very creative and innovative. Public-private sector partnership would result in the possibility of harnessing our huge potentialities to develop home grown technology for environmental health services. Institution like product and equipment development Agency (PRODA), Enugu should be encouraged to fabricate equipment for environmental health service.

Indeed, there is need to look inward for community-based approach to tackling environmental health problems so as to ensure good health and sustainable development in Nigeria. Conclusion Enforcement of environmental health standards and regulations is hinged on availability of enabling environment; structural re-alignment; focused, holistic and sustained environmental health policy which is pro-preventive health; building positive environmental health culture and acquisition of appropriate technology and proper reorientation of public perception and attitude towards environmental health matters. For the profession to meet the emerging challenges there should be a deliberate policy to increase funding to support training of the practitioners and for the building of environmental health infrastructure and technology.

Environmental Health Officers must seek for information and develop capacity to synthesize and make use of such information for their professional development. As a basic and essential service, environmental health should not only be seen as a public good, hence entirely public provided; it should also be seen as a mean to achieving a better health, indeed as window to shop for health for all (HFA), which appear very illusory challenge and leave behind every cynicism and move forward with renewed vigor to change the environmental health landscape for posterity.

Repositioning environmental and public health services at PHC level in Kano state

2022-02-24T05:49:00.001-08:00

By Sani Garba Mohammed

Kano state did not have an agency to regulate or monitor primary health care activities until 25th March, 2012 when the then governor Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso signed the law setting up of Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board. The primary health care concern is providing quality, effective, efficient, equitable, affordable, reliable,acceptable, comprehensive, and accessible health care services at the grassroots for the promotion and protection of the general public. To achieve this, there must be multisectoral collaboration between various components of human resource for health, as no one component can deliver all the health services alone.

Considering how some health services received more attention than others, I will look at how environmental and public health services, which are central to the success of other health services, can be repositioned at primary health care levels for better and efficient interventions in Kano state.

Environmental health as defined by the World Health Organization is “the control of all factors in man’s physical environment which exercises, or may exercise, a deleterious effect on his physical development, health or survival”. While public health is “the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private communities, and individuals”. And historically, public health starts with sanitation, therefore, ‘environmental health’ and ‘public health’ goes together. The following includes the functions or component of environmental health services: solid waste management; medical waste management; housing and environmental planning; food sanitation; sanitary inspection of premises; pest and vector control; epidemiological control; air quality management; occupational health and safety; market and abattoir sanitation; water sanitation; management of urban drainage; protection of recreational environment; pollution control; control of reared and stray animals; disposal of dead [man and animals]; port health services; environmental health impact assessment; weed and vegetation control; hygiene education and promotion among others, hence, the outcome of environmental health services are prevention, detection and control of environmental hazards which will affect human health Therefore, for this to be achieved we need to go back to the basic of first generating environmental and public health info of every premises be it residential, commercial, industrial, educational, hospital, etc., of our physical environment which is one of the position of National Council of Health meeting in 1994, 2000, and 2003 in Jos, Ilorin, and Kano respectively.

In order to achieve these, federal government produced national guidelines on environmental sanitation, sanitary inspection of premises, excreta and sewage management, school sanitation, solid waste management, market & abattoir sanitation, pest and vector control, food hygiene and control, injection safety & healthcare waste, laws and regulations, environmental health guidelines for sanitation in child care centres [pre-school] and special homes in Nigeria, environmental; health guidelines on meat inspection and abattoir sanitation, among others. In order to generate these information, section 5 subsection 2 of Kano state public health law, no 3 of 2019 provided that every premises shall have a file to be opened by Environmental Health Officer by filling a form call EH1 which contains all the necessary public health information identified in the above policies and empower him/her by section 5, subsection 1, section 6 [subsection a-c], section 11 [subsection 1-4], to enter any premises and do his work and even have the power of police constable while discharging his/her duties via section 52 and protected by section 55 while discharging his/her duties. When and if every premises has a file and its information is compiled, each would be classified according to its class, and its peculiar public health inspection checklist would be apply to it for routine inspection [form EH2] from time to time to ascertain its public health worthiness, whereby a certificate of either fitness for habitation, fitness for continued habitation or fitness for continued use of premises would be issued. The information generated/identified in any premises, public health issues detected, action taken are all documented monthly [via form EH 8] and at the end of the year [via EH 14/15/, is summarized for records and other government interest.

Considering these activities as important as it is, but were not being felt by the government, it set up an executive committee on sanitation in 2015 to see how these services could be integrated in one place for coordination and better results. The committee recommended what is called ‘Kano State Environmental and Sanitation Board’ KESAB to be domiciled at Kano Ministry of Environment, but that could not be achieved because there is no money to create a new agency, and the enormity & specialty of the designated responsibilities of the supposed board could not allow its integration into the then Refuse Management and Sanitation Board, REMASAB, a department of environmental and public health was created instead at the state primary health care management board on 9th December, 2015 at the state executive council meeting. For the department to succeed, discharge its duties as identified above, and justify its relevance in the scheme of health services and maintain a lead, impact, dedication, and direction, it must be innovative, accommodative and responsive, for, the coinage ‘environmental’ and ‘public health’ placed a great task on it, and government is looking to see more of its activities, via regular report & activities, and others, precisely now that the new nomenclature in the world is ‘environmental public health’, which places more burden on it.

The state public health was amended in 2019 to be in tune with the current needs, all policies, regulation, laws [around 50] in my count, should be made available to every practitioner [technician, technologist and officer] to study, and be familiar with it, so that they can apply it at the specifications of their jobs description. Equipment like Dissolved Oxygen (DO) meter, calorimeter, measuring tapes, thermometers, P.H meter, turbid meter, noise peak meter, carbon- monoxide (CO) analyzer, infrared analyzer, and others should be provided for environmental health workers to do their work scientifically.

Also, the department should liaise with relevant ministries and units where there are environmental health officers for synergy and collaboration to avoid conflict while discharging their duties. With this put in place, it should develop a short, medium and long term planning based on the ‘national strategic plan for environmental health 2015-2025’ for measuring performance against the plan.

These activities as important as it is, cannot be done without training of the practitioners involved in the modern approach of practice which is now digital and technological, as such, their services need to be scientifically sound, socially acceptable, educationally to the standard, and go with the current trend as it is obtainable elsewhere. If environmental public health could be given serious attention by relevant authorities, certainly, the burden of diseases and other preventable tragedies can be prevented and put under control.

This is a task that must be done to make Kano free of not only preventable diseases, but also lead in health, safety and environmental issues. Now that the Executive Secretary of Kano state primary health care management board, Dr. Tijjani Hussaini is reforming and modernizing every aspect of primary health care services, I am very sure he will give this suggestion a serious thought for the improvement and betterment of primary healthcare services.

STAKEHOLDERS APPEARANCE ON WEDNESDAY 10TH JUNE, 2020 FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES BILL

2021-06-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

STAKEHOLDERS APPEARANCE ON WEDNESDAY 10^TH JUNE, 2020 FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES BILL
SNo.	Name of Stakeholder Organization
1	Equity International Initiative
2.	Action Group on Free Civil Space
3.	Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria
4.	Nigeria Immigration Service
5.	NCDC
6.	National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (NACHPN)
7.	Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria
8.	Initiative for the Development of Future Accountable Leaders
9.	Nigeria Agric Quarantine Service (NAQS)
10.	Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board
11.	AFD Coalition Against Mandatory Vaccination
12.	Society for Environmental and Public Health of Nig. (SEPHON)
13.	National Council for Women Societies (NCWS)
14.	Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (SERAP)
15.	NAFDAC
16.	National Association of Catholic Lawyers
17.	Nigeria Infectious Diseases Society
18.	Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association
19.	Association of Public Health Physicians of Nig. (APHPN)
20.	Society for Public Health Professionals of Nig. (SPHPN)
21.	Doctors Health Initiative
22.	Happy Home Foundation
23.	Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria
24.	Foundation of African Cultural Heritage
25.	Epidemiological Society of Nigeria (EPISON)
26.	Nursing & Midwifery Council of Nigeria
27.	Veterinary Council of Nigeria
28.	Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB)
29.	Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLAFON)
30.	Environmental Health Regulation
31.	Coalition of Civil Society for Citizen Action Against Covid-19
32.	Health Sector Reform Coalition
33.	University of Lagos (Faculty of Law)
34.	National Islamic Centre Zaria
35.	Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)
36	Legislative Advocacy Initiative for Sustainable Dev. (LISDEL)
37	Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF)
38.	National Islamic Centre, Zaria
39.	Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN)
40.	Chief Justice of Nigeria
41.	ALGON
42.	National Primary Health Development
43.	Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors
44.	Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria
45.	Nigerian Police Force
46.	Dangote Foundation
47.	UNICEF
48.	Association of Chemists
49.	Shippers Council of Nigeria
50.	National Institute of Legislative Studies NILDS
51	Magistrate Association of Nigeria
52.	Dr. Mohammed Etudaiye, Faculty of Law University of Abuja
53.	Dr. Charles Omole
54.	Prof. Dimie Ogoina, President Nigerian Infectious Disease Society

STAKEHOLDERS APPEARANCE ON THURSDAY 11^TH JUNE, 2020 FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES BILL
1.	Citizens Coalition Against Impunity and Injustice
2.	Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN)
3.	Amnesty International Nigeria
4.	Traditional Medicine Association of Nigeria (TMAN)
5.	Obi of Onitsha
6.	Ooni of Ife
7.	Sultan of Sokoto
8.	NAFDAC
9.	Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)
10.	Jamatu Nasir Islam
11.	College of Nigerian Pathologists
12.	Association of Public Health Physicians of Nig. (APHPN)
13.	Nigerian Christian Graduate Fellowship (NCGF)
14.	Professional Association of Public Health Nurses of Nig. (PAPHNON)
15.	Catholic Bishops Conference of
16.	Nigeria Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria and Centre for Health Science Training
17.	Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP)
18.	The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
19.	JOHESU
20.	Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria
21.	Livingseed Team Inc.
22	The Stage for Women Coalition
23.	Association of Medical Officers of Health in Nigeria (AMOHN)
24.	Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria
25.	Centre for Peace Building and Socio-Economic Resources Development
26.	Ministry of Health
27.	Ministry of Justice
28.	Ministry of Women Affairs
29.	Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, Northern State
30.	Yiaga Africa
31.	Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN)
32.	Legislative advocacy initiative for sustainable develoment
33.	Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN)
34.	Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU)
35.	Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria
36.	Citizen Coalition Against Impunity and Justice
37.	NHIS
38.	Nigerian Human Rights Commission
39.	Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria
40.	Pharmacy Council of Nigeria
41.	Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
42.	Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ)
43.	Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS)
44.	National Association of Microbiologists
45.	Association of Airline Operators
46.	Port Health Workers
47.	Vessel Owners Association
48.	Representative of Coalition of Civil Societies

PRESS BRIEFING BY THE MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, DR MOHAMMAD MAHMOOD ABUBAKAR ON THE ON-GOING LASSA FEVER OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA

2020-01-28T16:54:00.001-08:00

I am delighted to welcome you all to this vitally important Press Briefing which is intended to sensitize the Media and the general public on the current disturbing Lassa fever outbreak in the country.

2.As you are very much aware, Nigeria is currently experiencing lassa fever outbreak in several parts of the country with reported cases of fatalities. Latest report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released on 25th January 2020 has it that 195 confirmed cases and 29 deaths have been recorded in 11 States of Nigeria namely: Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Delta, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Ogun, Abia, Kano and Enugu. Out of the confirmed cases, 89% are from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi States. It is against this background that the Federal Ministry of Environment is organising this Press Briefing to respond to the increasing number of lassa fever cases across the country, sensitize the general public on lassa fever preventive and control measures to avert further outbreak and spread, as well as efforts being made by the Ministry in collaboration with NCDC and other stakeholders in tackling the lassa fever scourge.

3.Gentlemen of the Press, Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria and often associated with poor sanitary hygiene practices with cases being recorded all year round. The Lassa fever virus is transmitted by rodents (rats) which can be found in our environment including homes, motor parks, offices and even places of worship . This contributes largely to the risk of spread that occurs in Nigeria and other countries with similar ecological factors.

4.Lassa Fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness. It is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodents (rat) urine or faeces. It can also be transmitted from person to person through contact with blood, urine, faeces and other body fluids of an infected person.

5.Early symptoms are fever, headache, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, sore throat etc. It is in very severe cases that the patient bleeds from body openings. The maturity period of lassa fever ranges from 6-21 days.

6.Before the recent outbreak, the Ministry has taken proactive measures to improve the overall general sanitation and hygiene situation in the country. The Ministry in 2019 established Sanitation Desks in all the 36 states of the country and these sanitation desk officers are to coordinate sanitation and related activities within their states, liaise with their respective Local Government Environment Departments and report back to the Federal Ministry of Environment. They are also expected to monitor and report lassa fever cases and other environmental determinants of diseases to the Federal Ministry of Environment headquarters. The Sanitation Desks are to be replicated in all 774 LGAs in the country.

7. In 2019 the Federal Ministry of Environment with the support of World Health Organisation (WHO) and in collaboration with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) carried out environmental sanitation response activities to lassa fever outbreak in Edo and Ondo States. Activities undertaken include rodents’ control (deratization), sensitization/education of community members on lassa fever prevention/control measures, premises inspection, distribution of fumigation equipment and chemicals, waste bins and rodent traps.

8.Recently, officers of the Ministry and of the NCDC were on a phone-in program at Radio Nigeria on Saturday 25th January, 2020 to sensitize the public on the lassa fever outbreak as well as create awareness on preventive and control measures. However this sensitization will be a continuous exercise and will be taken down to the grassroots such as local communities, mosques, churches, markets, schools, motor parks, restaurants/hotels and to any place where there are likelihood of large gathering.

9.Gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, let me use this opportunity to inform you that the Ministry has directed all Environmental Health professionals in the Federal, State and Local Government to immediately re-embark on the following:
i. Massive Awareness Campaign on the need to keep the environment clean.
ii. Environmental Health Surveillance of Premises to identify rodents’ harbourage, destroy/eradicate rodents in homes, commercial and industrial premises
iii. Effective Pest and Vector Control services in residential and commercial premises – notably, Deratization of market places and homes.
iv. Development of Sanitary means and facilities for drying of food cereals, legumes and tubers to ward off their invasion by rodents

10.These strategies shall be deployed and the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria is to monitor compliance and report back to the Ministry.

11.The Ministry is putting in place Environmental Health and sanitation surveillance system. This surveillance system will strengthen the cooperation between the State and Federal Government on Environmental Health and Sanitation issues. It will also help in information/data gathering and sharing between the Federal, State and Local Governments.

12.The Ministry through Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) is also organizing capacity development programme on Entomology and Public Health Pest control to study more especially those rodents of Public Health importance in order to control them.

13. Meanwhile, citizens are advised to imbibe good sanitation and hygiene practices and take preventive and control measures that include:
• Keeping the environment clean to avoid contact with rodents;
• Keeping food away from rodents;
• Storing grains and other food stuff in rodent proof containers;
• Disposing wastes regularly and far away from home;
• Cooking all foods thoroughly;
• Blocking rat hide outs;
• Deratization;
• To avoid/stop eating rats as much as possible;
• Washing hands regularly with soap and running water;
• Using protective equipment e.g. masks, gloves, gowns etc. in healthcare centre and when caring for the sick.

14.Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, I want to use this opportunity to assure the general public that the Ministry remains committed to ensuring a clean and healthy environment for all Nigerians. I therefore call on all members of the public to keep their surroundings clean and be vigilant.

15. l also urge all media organisations as partners in progress, to join the Federal Ministry of Environment, NCDC and other stakeholders in fighting the scourge of lassa fever by informing, sensitizing and educating the public on preventive and control measures.
16. Thank you for your attention.

Dr Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar
Hounourable Minister of Environment
January 27, 2020

The Coming of Society For Global Health Nigeria

2019-06-12T04:46:00.001-07:00

Society for Global Health Nigeria debut. The Aims and Objectives of the Society is to:

1. Bring preventive and curative healthcare to the door post;

2. Promote Health initiatives among health workers;

3. Propagate and promote global Health;

4. Promote environmental Sanitation and Hygiene among rural and urban communities as well as during emergencies arising from from man- made and natural dusasters;

5. Promote the prevention and control of emerging and re- emerging and neglected tropical diseases among communities;

6. Promote healthcare planning, management and administration through awareness creation and advocacy;

7. Promote capacity building among medical and health professionals;

8. Promote industrial peace and harmony in the health sector;

9. Coordinate and harness volunteers in global health care;

10. Promote medical and health care services in emergency and disaster situations;

11. Promote accountability in global health governance and financing;

12. Promote training and retraining of global healthcare workers in specialised areas in liason with appropriate institutions/ professional bodies;

13. Promote research and dissemination of research findings in global health care;

14. Promote participation in workshop s, symposium, seminars and conferences in global health; and

15. Promote adoption and integration of current medical and health technologies in global health.

Stakeholders calls for Integrated Training Of Primary Health Care Workers

2018-03-16T15:49:00.002-07:00

Effective training of Primary Health Care Workers to deliver quality services to women and children is the key to solving the challenges facing Primary Health Care [PHC] centres in Nigeria, said by stakeholders.
Stakeholders in the health sector made the statement at the launch of Integrated Manual for Primary Health Care Workers, in Abuja.
Director, Community Heath Services, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Nneka Onwu said, with appropriate training, PHC workers can utilize the manual and offer effective treatment to a patient. She also stated that the manual will be implemented to its fullest so that the capacity building of the workers be at its best.
Iya Balogun, representing National Association for Nigerian Nurses and Midwives [NANNM], said the manual will improve the knowledge and skills in reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality rate in the country.
The manual is a combination of everything about the mother and child, communicable diseases, malaria, leprosy and HIV

A letter by a group of unemployed environmental health graduates to Lagos State Speaker

2017-10-21T16:35:00.001-07:00

A PASSIONATE APPEAL FOR THE INCLUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER CADRE APPLICANTS IN THE ON-GOING RECRUITMENT EXERCISE OF THE LAGOS STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE COMMISSION

Greetings to your highly esteemed office. We applaud your exemplary contributions in paddling the affairs of the state to birthing a new social order of monumental infrastructural development and economic growth, with resonated enhanced standard of living of Lagosians.

Following the job advert placement on print and electronic media by the Lagos State Local Government Service Commission which was slated for a period five days (25th – 29th September, 2017), we, the Environmental Health graduates made our application entries as directed by the commission.

Invitation of applicants for screening/recruitment by the Commission commenced last week through e-mail and SMS correspondence. While other cadres are being invited for screening/recruitment, the environmental health cadre applicants are being sidelined and in breach of the Local Government Schemes of Service 2006, Non-Environmental Health graduates including those with degrees in Anthropology, biotechnology, sociology, crop protection, etc are being invited for interview and placement as Environmental Health Officers while thousands of the real graduates of the profession who applied were not invited. Moreover, it is expedient to point out here that these Non-Environmental Health graduates lack in outright term the requisite competence and credentials to function statutorily and desirably as Environmental Health Officers.

We would like to reassure the state government of our willingness to gainfully contribute our quota in the enhancement of public service delivery, to the good people of Lagos state. It is also noteworthy that some of our members are not only Higher National Diploma (H.N.D) holders from recognized schools/colleges of health technology but graduates with additional qualifications such as bachelor and master's degrees with excellent grades, and have been serving the state government on a non-pensionable basis for almost a decade.

Additionally, we actively participated in the successful intervention programmes being organized by the state and federal governments in the epidemiological control of outbreaks of Lassa fever, Ebola Virus, Cholera and some other diseases. We are not in doubt that we would also be relevant in the arrest of this recent outbreak of monkeypox viral infection.

For the avoidance of doubt, an Environmental Health Officer is a qualified graduate from either the university or school/college of health technology and duly certified by the West Africa Health Examination Board (WAHEB) and Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON). Our job specifications are well spelt-out by the World Health Organization (WHO) which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

Finally, in the light of the above, we humbly request for your swift intervention on the delay in the job interview being experienced by our members, because we believe in your leadership, spirit of equality and goodwill for a sustained serene environmental health of the state.

Yours Faithfully,

_________________

BASHORUN N.O

Coordinator.

Cc: The Executive Governor of Lagos State,

State House,

Alausa – Ikeja,

Lagos State.

Honourable Segun Olulade,

Chairman, House Committee on Health,

Alausa – Ikeja,

Lagos State.

Hon. Saka Fafunmi

Chairman, House Committee on Environment.

Lagos State House of Assembly.

Hounorable Agunbiade Sunai (SOB),

Majority Leader,

Lagos State House of Assembly,

Alausas – Ikeja,

Lagos State.

Commissioner of Police,

Lagos State.

The President,

Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN),

Oshodi Isolo,

Lagos State.

The Chairman,

Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN),

Surulere,

Lagos State.

Chairman,

Lagos State Local Government Service Commission,

Old Secretariat,

P.W.D;

Lagos State.

Barr. Festus Keyamo (SAN),

1, Festus Keyamo Lane, off Gbagada Expressway,

Lagos State.

Barr. Femi Falana (SAN),

Old Secretariat Road,

G.R.A; Ikeja, Lagos.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,

(Governor Emeritus),

National Leader,

All Progressive Congress (APC)

Bourdilion Road,

Osborne, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Unemployed Environmental Health Graduate Visits Lagos Speaker

2017-10-21T16:22:00.002-07:00

A group of unemployed environmental health graduates had visit and present their petitions to the Speaker, Lagos state house of assembly on their plight on the issue of ongoing recruitment by Lagos state local government service commission.The group is led by Nureni Bashorun whom stated that they have been working with local governments in Lagos for some years as casual staff with the hope that if vacancies exists, they will be absorbed, fortunately, the service commission placed an advert which includes environmental health officers, but those that applied were not call for interview while all other cadres were call, thus giving room of rumour and speculation that we would not be part of the recruitment.

"Why would they not invites us, having made the application open for everybody. They should create a level playing ground and allow everyone who is qualified to participate in the ongoing screening and interview", Nureni Bashorun said.

Responding, the speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, represented by Mr Segun Olulade, Chairman House committee on health said he will look in to the grievances of the group and do justice accordingly.

"We will contact your representatives and also call on other parties to explain the rationale behind it so that we can be on the same page....we will get back to you very soon", the speaker said.

Read the letter in full in the next post.

EHSAN organizes conference in Ibadan

2017-10-21T15:44:00.001-07:00

Environmental health Scientists Association Of Nigeria [EHSAN]

The conference on Environmental Health Sciences is organized to increase awareness on, deepen knowledge for and stimulate action towards various primordial and emerging issues of environmental health for the purpose of ensuring environmental quality and safeguarding public health through evidence sharing from basic, applied and translational research.

The theme for the 2017 conference is ‘New Frontiers in Safety and Toxicology for Environmental health Management’. The conference will address salient and topical issues in the field of safety and toxicology particularly as it bothers on exposures to hazards and the vulnerability of the public to a myriad of deleterious health outcomes including cancers.

Delegates at conference are invited from amongst environmental scientist, researchers, public health professionals, safety professionals, policy makers, students and individuals from governmental/non-governmental and community-based organizations respectively.

Conference Objectives

· Buildings bridges among different scientists, professionals, practitioners, and other stakeholders in environment, safety and public health fields;

· Sharing of knowledge and skills during scientific and exhibitions sessions;

· Networking among delegates during technical sessions and social tours;

· Expanding new research horizon among scholars; and

· Fostering multi-centre and inter regional collaborations.

Conference Sub-themes/Speakers

Air toxics, Man and Cancer, Prof R. Vermeulen, Institute of Risk Assessment Sciences, [IRAS], Netherlands;

Nano Technology: Toxicological and Safety Concern, Prof A. Dhawan, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, India;

Children, School Environment and Safety, Prof Louise Stroud, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa;

Water Safety: Implications for Households and Eco Tourism, Prof MKC Sridhar, University of Ibadan, Nigeria;

Food Safety, Chemical Exposure and Toxicovigilance, Prof Eo Farombi, University of Ibadan, Nigeria;

Hazardous and Health Care Waste, Engr. Olabode Oladeji, Oiloff Nigeria Limited;

Soil Health and Biosafety, Prof Kehinde Olayinka, University of Lagos, Nigeria;

Industrial Hygiene and Safety, Dr A Amadi, HSE Manager, LNG Nigeria; and

Households-level Toxic: Safety and Health Issues, Dr G.R.E.E. Ana, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

The conference schedule to holds on 20-24^th November, 2017

Registration is N20, 000.00 for participants, N10, 000.00 for students and USD500 for foreign participants.

Payment can be made to:

Account Name: Environmental Health Scientists Association, Nigeria

Bank:

Access Bank Plc, UCH branch, Ibadan

Account Number: 0 7 2 7 6 8 3 2 6 7

Teller of payment should be scanned and sent to adejumo_mumuni@yahoo.com and oyinobisesan@gmail.com

Environmental and Public Health Watch Blog is No 55 on the web

2017-10-11T12:41:00.004-07:00

I am happy to inform our readers that that this blog is selected among the Top 75 Public Health Blogs on the web. Specifically, it is No 55 among the 75, hence the blog has the honour to use the badge below.
These could not have possible without your efforts of always standing by the blog in making available the information you needed.
Even though update on the blog is not regular, it is my wish to continue updating daily, therefore, readers should bear with me.
The blog appreciated this honour and thanks our readers.

55	Environmental and Public Health Watch+ Follow tsaftarmuhalli.blogspot.com About Blog - This blog brings environmental and Public health issues as it happens in Nigeria. Frequency - about 1 post per month Since - Sep 2005

2017-09-13T14:55:00.000-07:00

A BILL

FOR

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTITIONERS OF NIGERIA AND FOR RELATED MATTERS, 2017 (HB.1022)

Public Hearing and Memoranda for NESREA, NOSDRA, and others

2017-09-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

Pursuant to section 88[2] of the 1999 constitution of Federal Republic Of Nigeria [as amended], The House Committee on Environment and Habitat is holding a public hearing on 19 and 20th September, 2017.

The bills that are schedule for public hearing are:

19th September, 2017

· A bill for an act to amend National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA [establishment] Act, CAP 164 law of the Federation of Nigeria to provide for and adopt clean air policies and for related matter, 2017.

· A bill for an act to regulate the disposal of waste by industries on companies; prohibiting environmental pollution; prescribe penalties against offenders, and for other related matters, 2016.

· A bill for an act to amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency [establishment, etc] Act, 2006 and for related matters.

20th September, 2017

A bill for an act for the establishment of Erosion Control and Prevention Commission and vest it responsibilities for prevention, control, management and redress of erosion and for other related matters.

· A bill for an act to establish Desertification, Erosion, Flood and Ecological Control Agency and for other matters connected therewith.

· A bill for act to provide for the establishment of the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria to be charged with the responsibility of regulating and managing environmental practices of Nigeria and for related matters.

Based on these, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria call on all practitioners to avail themseklve with the bill and makes necessary inputs.

Nigeria Adopts New National Health Policy

2016-09-11T04:19:00.002-07:00

The National Council of Health has approved a new health policy for the country. This was stated after an emergency which was held in Abuja on 8th September, 2015.
The council stated that it "noted the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health in fast tracking the operationalization of the National Health Act 2014; it also debated extensively and approved the guidelines for the disbursement, administration and management of the basic health care provision as presented".

The council further call on the federal ministry of health to develop the second National Strategic Health Development [NSHD] and decried the recent outbreaks of polio virus in Borno state, Lassa fever in Anambra, Bauchi, Gombe, plateau, Rivers and Ondo state.
It also acknowledge the efforts of federal and state ministries of health in curtailinf disease outbreaks and epidemics.

The council will meet again at its 59th meeting in Abia state.

WAHEB to resumes operation in Ghana

2016-09-07T16:56:00.002-07:00

The West Africa Health Examination Board [WAHEB] would soon resumes its operation in Ghana. The body is responsible for awarding certificates to Environmental Health Officers and Public Health Nurses across anglophone countries in West Africa, but due to poor funding, legal recognition and others, its operation in Ghana was stopped. As a result of these, Ghana was not represented in the board.
Dr Ado H Bello, the chairman, WAHEB Nigeria said the board still considers Ghana as part of it, since there was no formal pulling out from the board, and called on the country to prepare for the next examinations, so that students can enjoy the benefits of WAHEB certificate in the country.

Lassa fever confirmed in five state-NCDC

2016-09-04T06:12:00.000-07:00

Five confirmed cases of Lassa fever were reported from four states of Nigeria within the ending of August and early September, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, said.

Two case were reported in Plateau, and one each for Rivers, Gombe and Bauchi states respectively, the agency stated.

The agency said two cases were reported in Plateau State, one each in Rivers, Bauchi and Gombe states.

The agency said public health response commenced immediately in all the affected states under the leadership of the respective state’s Ministries of Health.

“Resources were immediately mobilised from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and its partner, the Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP), to support the investigation and management of cases in the affected states,” the statement said.

According to the head of NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, “We commend the early detection and reporting of the most recent cases, as it significantly improves the likelihood of survival for the cases and also reduces the risk of further transmission.

“We also urge all States to report cases immediately for Lassa fever while improving on the timeliness of their reporting generally”.

“The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control remains committed to supporting the States to prevent the spread of Lassa fever in Nigeria.

“For further media inquiry on Lassa Fever in Nigeria, you can reach NCDC via Facebook Messenger on m.me/NCDCgov. Our website is currently being redesigned to improve our communication opportunities,” the statement said.

Environmental Health and its cadres in Nigeria

2016-08-28T16:47:00.002-07:00

Environmental health practitioners in Nigeria are categorized into 3:

Environmental health officer;

environmental health technician; and

environmental health assistant.
Environmental Health Officer has minimum of first degree in environmental or public health or any other course recognized by the regulatory body of environmental health practice in Nigeria. While Environmental Health Technician has a minimum of National Diploma or Diploma, and Environmental health Assistant has a minimum of Certificate.

SUBMISSIONS/REQUESTS FORWARDED TO THE HONOURABLE SPEAKER OF KEBBI STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY BY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA, KEBBI STATE CHAPTER

2016-01-09T00:51:00.000-08:00

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (EHOAN)

KEBBI STATE CHAPTER

SUBMISSIONS/REQUESTS FORWARDED TO THE HONOURABLE SPEAKER OF KEBBI STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

RT. HONOURABLE, ALHAJI SAMA’ILA ABDULMUMINI KAMBA

FOR CONSIDERATIONS AND LEGISLATIVE BACKING/SUPPORT

FRIDAY 8^TH JANUARY 2016

PREAMBLE

Environmental Health (EH) is the major aspect of Preventive Medicine which is also one of the four components of Health Care.

Environmental Health as a Health Science and un-dispensable Health service, ensures the Control and Prevention of all aspects, issues, challenges and problems that affect human Health either directly or indirectly. These includes communicable and non-communicable diseases, Air quality and safety, Food hygiene and safety, Water quality and safety, Meat safety (including sales and storage), Pollution control, Hospital waste management including control of spread of infectious diseases, Building regulation and safety, Control and regulation of International Voyage, Waste management (Solid, Liquid and Gaseous wastes) among others.

The World Health Organization ,(WHO) has defined Environmental Health as the control of all aspects of the man’s Physical Environment, which exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on the Physical development health or survival.

Environmental Health had enjoyed tangible presence in the scheme of affairs in Nigeria since the time of colonial masters. After Independence, Public Health Laws (which are the legal tool for Environmental Health) were promulgated and made a component of the Nigerian Constitution and domesticated in different State Laws including Kebbi State till date. It is noteworthy that Environmental Health had suffered allot of setbacks since the departure of Colonial masters and was not given its due privileges which adversely affected the performance of the professionals in the field and consequently leading to high rate of Morbidity (Sickness and Diseases) and Mortality (Deaths) from preventable diseases. These challenges made our Hospitals overloaded with patients and made Health care budgets cumbersome to the Government and the general public.

RELEVANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS IN KEBBI STATE

Environmental Health Officers are an essential component of the Health system and other health related programs.

Presently, Environmental Health Officers are in employment of the Local Government Service mostly serving under Primary Health Care Department. Similarly, the Officers are spread across the MDA’s of the State Government Service such as, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Lands and Housing and their agencies

SITUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IN KEBBI STATE

Environmental Health and its professionals are facing allot of challenges in all ramifications. Some of the prominent problems are as follows:

1. Shortage of manpower, especially at the State civil service level. Many professionals have retired while large number are due to retire between the year 2016-2018, with no middle cadre officers to replace them.

2. Lack of Waste management system. This can be confirmed by lack of Waste collection vehicles across all the 21 LGAs and the state capital.

3. Lack of Designated final disposal sites of solid wastes across the state.

4. Lack of Sanitary Meat conveyance vehicles in all the LGA’s of the state.

5. Lack of Sanitation coordination body, such as Environmental Sanitation Board and Environmental Health Departments at LGA Level.

6. Non-existence of Environmental Health unit in our Hospitals to ensure compliance with Clinical Waste Management procedures and guidelines.

7. In-effective and partial School Health program. The scenario at Kanta College Argungu is a yardstick.

8. Lack of political will to preventive health services by previous administrations and shift of health care focus to curative services.

PROSPECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT

Environmental Health has allot of potentials of being a Job creator, Revenue generator and Impact maker especially in change agenda of the present administration.

Some of the Environmental Health driven areas that can be exploited are as follows:

1. Establishment of Composting centers, at least one per Emirate/Senatorial zone. This will address the issue of heaps of refuse spread in our major towns and Villages, Produce organic manure to be sold to farmers and create jobs.

2. Review and enforcement of Health permit charges for commercial premises and industries.

PRAYERS/REQUESTS FOR LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT

The Kebbi State House of Assembly may make Acts, and other Legislative backups on the following:

1. Review existing obsolete Environmental/Public Health laws to make them modern and sound and make an Environmental Health Act for the State.

2. Make an Act for the Creation of Environmental Sanitation Board/Agency. This will address 85% of administrative inefficiencies on Sanitation matters.

3. Facilitate the establishment/creation of Environmental Health Department at LGA level. The Department is already existing at State level. Also many States in the Federation are having Environmental Health Department in their LGAs.

4. Enforcement of the provision of Waste Collection Vans and Meat conveyance vehicles by the LGAs

5. Making an Act for the Emergency recruitment of Environmental Health Officers to fill the huge vacancies created by the Death and retirement of serving officers.

6. Enforcement of “National Injection safety and Health Care Waste management” policy (2007) in all health Institutions. This will ensure creation of E.H. Department and ensure effective Clinical waste management.

7. Review School Health service policy and make an Act to that effect that will ensure recruitment and deployment of Environmental Health Officers to all Secondary Schools for effective disease prevention and control.

8. Facilitate the creation of Composting and waste recycling centers across the state for its overall benefits as mentioned above.

Provisions of the Bill	Committee’s Recommendation
PART I - ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTITIONERS OF NIGERIA Establishment of the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria. 1. (1) There is hereby established a body to be known as the Institute of environmental Practitioners of Nigeria (in this bill referred to as the Institute). (2) The Institute: (a) shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal; (b) may sue and be sued in its corporate name; and (c) may for the purpose of carrying out its functions, subject to the limitations in this Bill and to any law for time being in force, acquire, hold or dispose of property, whether movable or immoveable.
Established for the Governing Council. 2. (1) There shall be established for the Institute a Governing Council (the council) charged with the responsibility for the administration and general management of the Institute. (2) The Council shall consist of: (a) President of the Institute, who shall be the chairman; (b) Vice-President of the Institute who shall be the Vice-Chairman; (c) National Treasurer of the Institute who shall be the treasurer; (d) Minister of Environment or his representative who shall not be below the rank of a Director; (e) Minister of Petroleum or his representative who shall not be below the rank of a Director; (f) Minister of Agriculture or his representative who shall not be below the rank of a Director; (g) the immediate past president of the Institute; (h) five persons appointed by the Institute; (i) Chairmen of branches of the Institute; (j) Chairman board of Fellows; and (k) Chairmen of committees of the Council. Schedule. (3) The provision of the First Schedule to this Bill shall regulate the proceedings of the Council and related matters.
Function of the Institute. 3. The Institute shall: (a) determine what standard of knowledge and skill are to be attained by persons seeking to become registered as Environmental Practitioners in Nigeria; (b) secure in accordance with the provisions of this Bill, the establishment and maintenance of a register of Members and the publication of a list of such members; (c) regulate and control all aspects of the environmental practice in Nigeria (Professional Services); and (d) perform through the Council, functions conferred on it by this Bill.
Function of the Council. 4. The Council shall be responsible for: (a) ensuring the effective and efficient implementation of the function of the Institute; (b) supervising and monitoring the operations of the Institute; (c) maintaining the highest level of integrity and honesty in the operations of the Institute; (d) the consideration and approval of the annual budget of the Institute; (e) presentation of the report and account prepared by the Institute to the Minister; (f) the approval of the audited accounts and the consideration of the management letters from the external auditors; (g) appointment and removal of auditors, provision of the necessary facilities and remuneration; and (h) carrying out such other activities as are necessary and expedient for achieving the objectives and functions of the Institute.
Grades in the Institute. 5. A person registered as an environmental Practitioner under the Institute shall be a: (a) Fellow, if the person has: (i) spent at least Ten years as a full member of the institute, or (ii) contribute significantly to the practice and development of environmental management; (b) member, if the person has: (i) spent at least six years as an Associate, and (ii) adjudged by the Council to possess an adequate knowledge of environmental management; and (c) Associate, if, the person is a: (i) University graduate who has spent at least four years in an affiliate grade; (ii) holder of university degree in environmental science or any related discipline, or a person who has performed duties at a senior level in environmental management continuously for at least six years; (iii) graduate of the Institute who has competently performed executive or advisory duties at a senior level in environmental management for at least four years since election to the grade of member; and (iv) non-graduate who has spent at least ten years in an affiliate grade, and possesses standard knowledge and qualities essential for a successful practice of environmental management.
PART II - FINANCIAL PROVISIONS Fund of the Institute. 6. (1) There shall be established for the Institute a Fund, which shall be managed and controlled by the Council. (2) There shall be paid into the fund: (a) all fees, charges and monies payable to the Institute pursuant to this Bill; (b) all monies provided by the Federal Government to the council by way of grant or loan or otherwise; and (c) other monies received by the Institute in course of its operations or in relation to the exercise of its function under this Bill. (3) There shall be paid out of the Fund of the institute: (a) remuneration and allowances of the Institute; (b) any money borrowed by the Council on behalf of the Institute and interest payable on such monies; (c) such reasonable expenses and allowances of members of the Council in discharging their duties for the Institute, as the Council may determine; and (d) any other expenses incurred by the Council in the discharge of its function under this Bill. (4) The Council may invest monies from the fund in any security created or issued by or on behalf of the Government of the Federation or any other security in Nigeria as may be approved by the council. (5) The Council may on behalf of the Institute, from time to time borrow money for the purpose of running the Institute, which shall be paid into the Fund.
Annual accounts. 7. The Council shall on behalf of the Institute keep proper accounts in respect of each year, and the Council shall cause the accounts to be audited by an external auditor appointed in accordance with the guidelines supplied by the Auditor-General for the Federation, and the audited accounts submitted to the members at the general meeting of the institute.
PART III - THE REGISTRATION AND THE REGISTER Appointment of Registrar, etc and preparation of register. 8. (1) The Council shall appoint a Person knowledgeable in environmental practice for not less than Ten years to be the Registrar of the Institute, and such other persons as the Council may from time to time think necessary to assist the Registrar in the performance of his functions under this Bill. (2) The Registrar shall be the Chief Executive officer of the Institute and Secretary to the Council. (3) The Registrar shall prepare and maintain a Register of names, addresses and approved qualifications and other relevant particulars as may be specified in the rules made by Council, of all categories and classes of members/persons registered as Environmental practitioners in the Country. (4) The register shall consist of five parts; each part shall be in respect of Fellows, Members, Associates, Affiliates, Graduates and Students. (5) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Council may make rules with respect to the creation and maintenance of the register including: (a) the making of applications for enrolment; (b) notifying the Registrar as to any change in any particulars submitted by any person; (c) authorizing a registered person to have any qualification relevant to this Bill; and (d) specifying the fees, including subscription to be paid to the Institute upon the entry of names on the register and authorizing the Registrar to refuse the entry of a name in the register until specified entry fees have been paid.
Duties of the Registrar. 9. It shall be the duty of the Registrar to: (a) correct, as directed by the Council, any wrong entry in the register; (b) update the registered particulars of registered persons; (c) remove from the register the name of any registered person who has died; (d) record the names of members of the institute who have defaulted for more than four months in the payment of annual subscriptions; (e) take such action in relation thereto (including removal of the names of defaulters from the register) as the Council under this Bill, may direct or require.
Publication of register and its correction. 10. (1) The Registrar shall ensure that: (a) the register or any corrections made therein shall be printed, published and put on sale for members of the public not later than two years from the commencement of this Act; and (b) a copy of each edition of the register and a list of any corrections made, shall be deposited at the principal office of the Institute and made available to members of the public. (2) A published copy of the Register and any corrections therein shall be admissible in evidence to prove registration of a person.
PART IV - REGISTRATION Registration of Environmental Practitioners organization. 11. (1) The Council shall register annually all qualified Environmental Practitioners and organisations. (2) A person, organisation or firm shall not practice as an Environmental Practitioners or consultant in Nigeria unless registered by the Council.
PART V - PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE Establishment of Environmental Practitioners Disciplinary Committee. 12. There shall be established a committee known as Environmental practitioners Disciplinary Committee, which shall be charged with the duty of considering and determining any case of discipline against any erring members.
PART VI - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Qualification for membership of the Institute. 13. Persons who possess acceptable qualifications with at least five years cognate experience shall be admitted as Members of the Institute.
Fees. 14. The Council shall prescribe rules and regulations, including fees to be paid for registration and other purposes under this Bill; and when and how such fees shall be paid.
Honorary membership. 15. The Council can admit persons to the Institute as Honorary members, provided not more than five (5) persons are admitted for a period of not less than two (2) years.
Library. 16. The Institute shall: (a) provide and maintain a library comprising of books, research materials and publications that will build the capacity of the Environmental Practitioners and other materials approved by the Council; (b) encourage research into environmental and other related subjects and (c) formulate and make rules and regulations guiding the use of the library in particular and the Institute in general.
Property of the Institute. 17. The Institute may own, register, transfer and receive properties in its corporate name.
18. In the execution or carrying out of any environmental contract or job in any area or locality, residents of such area or locality shall be properly notified and as much as possible allowed to fully participate in such contract or job.
19. An environmental contractor or consultant carrying out an environmental contract or job in an area or locality shall in all cases ensure that reasonable number of his staff available for such job come from the area or locality where the job or contract is to be undertaken and shall set aside temporary jobs and local supplies for residents of the area or locality concerned.
Offences and penalties. 20. (1) If any person for the purpose of registration of any name, qualification or other matter(s): (a) makes a statement which he believes to be false in a material particular, or (b) recklessly makes a statement which is false in a material particular, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of …..or to imprisonment for…..years or not exceeding ....years, or to both fine and imprisonment. (2) It shall be an offence under this Bill for anyone who is not a member and who is not registered with the Institute to solicit, procure, practice or otherwise undertake an environmental professional job or consultancy services, including the preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Assessment Reports (EARs) and studies. (3) It shall also be an offence for anyone to award an environmental job, contract or consultancy services to anyone without first ensuring and confirming that the contractor or consultant is qualified and registered with the Institute to practice as an environmental practitioner in Nigeria. (4) If any person, group or organization is found to be in breach of Sections 18(2) and (3) above, such person, group or organization shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of …..or to imprisonment for …..years or not exceeding ….; or to both fine and imprisonment and in the case of an organization or body corporate, the Director(s) of such an organization or body corporate shall individually and collectively be vicariously liable.
Interpretation. 21. In this Bill: "Institute" means the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria; "Association" means the Association of Environmental Practitioners; "Minister" means Minister in charge Environment; "Council" means Governing Council of the Institute; "Fees" includes annual subscription; "Member" means a registered member of the Institute; "Practitioners" means environmental Practitioners; "Tribunal" means Environmental Practitioners' Discipline Tribunal; "Register" means register of members; and "Registrar" means chief executive of the Institute.
Short title. 22. This Bill may be cited as the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2017.
SCHEDULE Clause 3(3) SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNCIL 1. Subject to provisions of this Bill and other applicable laws, Council may make orders regulating its proceedings or those of any committee it sets up 2. Where standing orders made under paragraph 1 of this Schedule provide for the Council to co-opt persons who are not members of the council, such persons may advise the Council on any matter referred to them by the Council, but shall not be entitled to vote at a meeting of the Council or count towards a quorum. 3. The Council may appoint one or more committees to carry out on its behalf such functions as the council may determine. 4. A committee appointed under this paragraph shall consist of such number of persons as may be determined by the Council and a person shall hold office in accordance with the terms of his appointment. 5. A decision of a Committee of the Council shall be of no effect until it is confirmed by the Council. Meetings of the Council. 6. The council shall meet whenever it is considered necessary (but not less than twice a year) by giving notice to all members concerned, at least seven (7) days before the meeting. 7. The Chairman shall preside at every meeting of the Council and in his absence, the Vice Chairman shall preside. 8. Five members of the Council, other than the Chairman shall form a quorum at the meeting. 9. Unless otherwise provided in this Bill, decisions shall be by a simple majority of the votes of the members present, but in the event that equal votes are cast, the person presiding shall cast the deciding vote. Committees 10. Subject to standing orders, the Council may appoint one or more committees to carry out on its behalf such duties as the Council may determine and make necessary reports. 11. A committee appointed under paragraph 10 of this schedule shall consist of the number of persons to be determined by the Council and not more than the one-third of those persons may be persons who are not members of the Council; a person other than a member of the Council may hold office on the Committee in accordance with the letter of appointment provided. 12. The quorum of any committee set up by the Council shall be determined by the Council. 13. The decision of the committee shall be of no effect until confirmed by the Council. Miscellaneous 14. The fixing of the seal of the Institute shall be authenticated by signature of the Chairman and some other members authorised generally or specially by the council to act for that purpose. 15. A document purporting to be an instrument issued by the Institute and to be sealed with the seal of the Institute authenticated in the manner provided by the foregoing paragraph, or to be signed by the Chairman, shall receive in evidence and shall be deemed to be the instrument without further proof, unless there is proof otherwise. 16. Any contract or instrument which, if made or executed by a person not being a body corporate, would not be required to be under seal, if made by or executed on behalf of the Council by any person authorised generally or specially by the Council to act for that purpose. 17. The validity of a proceeding of the council shall not be affected by: (a) a vacancy in the membership of the Council; (b) by a defect in the appointment of a member of the Council; or (c) by reason that a person not entitled to do so took part in the proceedings. 18. A member of the Council and a person holding office on a committee of the Council, who has a personal interest in a contract or an arrangement entered into or proposed to be considered by the Council or the committee shall forthwith disclose his interest to the council or committee and shall not vote on any question relating to that contract or arrangement.
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM This Bill seeks to establish the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria, to be charged with the responsibility of regulating and managing environmental practices in Nigeria and for other purposes related thereto.

Provisions of the Bill	Committee’s Recommendation
PART I - ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EROSION CONTROL AND PREVENTION COMMISSION Establishment of the Commission. 1. (1) There is established a body to be known as Gully Erosion Control and Prevention Commission (in this Bill referred to as "the Commission"). (2) The Commission shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and may sue and be sued in its corporate name. Head office of the Commission. (3) The Head office of the Commission shall be in Abuja with operational Offices in Imo, Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta Cross River, Rivers, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Benue.
Establishment and membership of the Governing Council. 2. (1) There is established a Governing Council for the Commission (in this Bill referred to as "the Council") which shall be responsible for the discharge of the functions of the Commission. (2) The Council shall consist of: (a) a chairman; (b) a representative each from the states set out in section 1 (3); (c) A representative of the Federal Ministries in charge of: (i) Environment; (ii) Transportation; (iii) Works; (iv) Agriculture and Rural Development; (v) Finance; (vi) Mines and Steel, and (vii) National Planning. (d) The Executive Secretary of the Commission. (e) Two representatives of recognised professional associations of environmentalists in Nigeria. (3) The Chairman and members of the Council of the Commission shall be: (a) Appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister subject to the confirmation by the Senate; (b) Persons of proven integrity, honour and ability; and (c) Part-time members except the Executive Secretary who shall be a full-time member. Schedule. (4) The supplementary provisions set out in the Schedule to this Bill shall have effect with respect to the proceedings of the Council and other matters contained therein.
Tenure of Office. 3. The Chairman and members of the Council other than the Executive Secretary shall each hold office: (a) for a term of 4 years and may be re-appointed for a further term of 4 years and no more; and (b) on such terms and conditions as may be specified in their letters of appointment.
Cessation of Membership. 4. (1) A person shall cease to hold office as a member of the Council on the occurrence of any of the following: (a) he becomes bankrupt, suspends payment or compounds with his creditors; (b) he is convicted of a felony or any offence involving dishonesty or fraud; (c) he becomes of unsound mind or is incapable of carrying out his duties; (d) he is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties; (e) in the case of a person who possesses any professional qualification and he is disqualified or suspended, other than at his own request from practicing his profession in any part of the world by any order of a competent authority made in respect of that member; or (f) he resigns his appointment by a letter addressed to the President. (2) Where a member of the council ceases to hold office for any reason whatsoever, before the expiration of the term for which he is appointed another person representing the same interest as that member shall be appointed to the Council for the expired term. (3) A member of the Council may be removed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister if he is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the Commission or the public that the member continues in office. (4) Where a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Council, it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term of office of his predecessor.
Allowances of members. 5. Members of the Council shall be paid such allowances and expenses as the Government may direct from time to time.
Powers of the Council. 6. The Council shall have power to: (a) manage and superintend over the affairs of the Commission; (b) make, alter and revoke rules and regulations for the effective running of the Commission; (c) employ and pay the staff of the Commission such remunerations and allowances as payable to persons in similar organization in the country; (d) enter into contracts and do such other things as may be necessary or expedient for the discharge of its functions and ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the Commission; and (e) receive, disburse and account for funds of the Commission.
P ART II - FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE COMMISSION Functions of the Commission. 7. The Commission shall: (a) carry out an extensive survey of the extent of gully erosion in the country; (b) manage, control redress and prevent gully erosion in the country; (c) formulate policies and guidelines for the prevention, control and management of gully erosion in the country; (d) advise on balanced and responsible use of land in the country; (e) conceive, plan and implement in accordance with set rules and regulations projects and programmes for gully erosion prevention, control and management; (f) co-ordinate and promote research activities relating to gully erosion control, management and prevention; (g) adopt an integrated approach addressing the physical, biological and socio-economic aspects of the process of gully erosion; (h) monitor the state of preparedness of all organisations or agencies which may contribute to the control of gully erosion; (i) integrate strategies for poverty eradication into the process with participation of affected local communities; (j) educate and inform the public on gully erosion prevention and control measures. (k) examine and implement innovative ways of promoting alternative livelihoods including training in new skills; (i) collate data from relevant agencies so as to enhance planning and field operation of gully erosion prevention, management and control. (m) cooperate with relevant inter-governmental organisations; (n) facilitate through International cooperation the transfer of technology knowledge and know how on the prevention, control and management of gully erosion; (o) ensure sound and efficient management of the resources available to the Commission from the Federation Account; (p) receive financial and technical aid from international organisations and non- governmental agencies for the purpose of prevention management and control of gully erosion; (q) carry out such other functions as the President may from time to time direct.
Powers of the Commission. 8. (1) The Commission shall have power to do anything which will facilitate the carrying out of its functions and in particular may: (a) sue and be sued in its corporate name; (b) acquire, hold, manage and alienate movable and immovable property; (c) monitor and control gully erosion in the affected areas; (d) enter into contracts for the prevention, control and management of ali gully erosion problems; (e) purchase or acquire any asset, business or property considered necessary for the proper conduct of its functions; (f) sell, let, lease or dispose of any of its property; (g) undertake or sponsor research where necessary for the performance of its functions; and (h) train managerial, technical or other category of staff for the purpose of running the affairs of the Commission; (i) enter into partnerships, combines, relationships, understandings, agreements and joint ventures for the purpose I carrying out any of the functions. (2) The powers conferred on the Commission may be exercised by it or through any of its officers, employees, agents authorized in that behalf by the Commission.
PART III - APPOINMENT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AXD OTHER STAFF OF THE COMMISSION Appointment and duties of the Executive Secretary of the Commission. 9. (1) There shall be an Executive Secretary of the Commission who shall be appointed by the President. (2) The Executive Secretary shall: (a) be the chief executive and accounting officer of the Commission and (b) be responsible to the Council for the execution of the policies and the administration of the daily affairs of the Commission.
Tenure of and office Term of remuneration of the Executive Secretary. 10. (1) The Executive Secretary shall be appointed for a term of 5 years in the first instance and may be r appointed for a further term of 5 years and no more, subject to satisfactory performance. (2) The Executive Secretary shall: (a) be paid such remuneration as may be prescribed in his letter of appointment; and (b) ensure compliance with the provision of section 21 of this Act relating to power to borrow.
Executive Secretary. 11. The Executive Secretary shall hold office on such terms and conditions as are specified in his letter of appointment, and may resign his appointment by writing under his hand delivered to the Minister.
Appointment and duties of Administrative Secretary. 12. The Council shall appoint for the Commission an Administrative Secretary who shall: (a) be a legal practitioner and is so qualified for a period of not less than 10 years; (b) keep the records of transactions and correspondence of the Commission; and (c) perform such other functions as the Councilor Executive Secretary may direct.
Staff of the Commission and their functions and remuneration. 13. The Council shall appoint for the Commission such number of employees as may in the opinion of the Council be expedient and necessary for the proper and efficient performance of the Commission and pay them remuneration and allowances as it determines.
Appointment and secondment from Public service. 14. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 12 and 13 of this Act, the Council shall have power to appoint for the Commission either directly or on secondment from any public service in the Federation, of employees may, in the opinion of the Council be required to assist the Commission in the discharge of any of its function under this Act. (2) The person seconded under this section may elect to be transferred to the service of the Commission, and al previous service he may render in the public service shall count as service to the Commission for the purpose of al pension subsequently payable by the Commission.
Engagement of Consultants and Advisers. 15. Without prejudice to the provisions of sections 13 and 14 of this Act, the Council may engage such consultant and advisers as it may require for the effective discharge of the functions of the Commission.
The structure of the Commission. 16. (1) There shall be established in the Head Office of the Commission, the following Departments: (a) Administration and Finance; (b) Education and Public Awareness; (c) Works and Services; (d) Planning, Research and Statistics; (e) Monitoring and Evaluation; and (f) Legal Services. (2) The Council shall set up its own monitoring panel to monitor the projects being executed by the Commission. (3) The Council, may with the approval of the President, increase the number of Departments as it may deem necessary and expedient to facilitate the realization of the objectives of the Commission.
PART IV - FINANCIAL PROVISIONS AND AUDIT Pensions and Gratuity. 17. The staff of the Commission shall be entitled to pensions, gratuities and other retirement benefits as are enjoyed by persons holding equivalent grade in the Civil Service of the Federation.
Provision of Superannuation. 18. The Commission shall pay gratuities or provide and maintain superannuation scheme (whether contributory or not) for the employees.
Funds of the Commission. 19. (1) The Commission shall establish and maintain a fund into which all moneys accruable to the Commission shall be paid and from which all the activities of the Commission shall be funded. (2) There shall be paid and credited to the fund: (a) all moneys in the accounts of the Ecological Fund relating to the states affected by erosion; (b) Federal Government contribution to the Fund of the Commission equivalent of 100 percent of the total money due to member state of the Commission from the Ecology Fund; (c) donations, gifts, grants and testamentary disposition from individuals or corporate organisations at home or abroad; . (d) all other assets that may, from time to time, accrue to the Commission. (3) The funds of the Commission shall be disbursed according to the approved formula. (4) The Commission shall apply the proceeds ofthe Fund established pursuant to section 19 (1) of this Act to: (a) the cost of administration of the Commission; (b) the payment of salaries, fees, remuneration, allowances, pensions and gratuities payable to the members of the Governing Council and the employees of the Commission; (c) the payment of all contracts, including mobilisation, fluctuations Variations, legal fees and cost on contract Administration; (d) the payment for all purchases; and (e) undertaking such other activities as are connected with all or any of the functions of the Commission under this Act. (5) The Council shall cause the accounts of the Commission to be audited quarterly and shall be externally audited once every year.
Power to accept gifts. 20. (1) The Commission may accept gifts of land, money or other property on such terms and conditions, if any, as may be specified by the person or organisation making the gift. (2) The Commission shall not accept any gift if the conditions attached are inconsistent with the functions of the Commission under this Act.
Power to borrow. 21. (1) The Commission may, from time to time, borrow money as it may require to execute or complete some special projects of the Commission. (2) The Commission shall not, without the approval of the President, borrow money which exceeds Nl,000,000.00 at anyone time.
Annual estimates and expenditure. 22. (1) The Council shall not later than 30th September, of each year, submit to the National Assembly through the Minister an estimate of the expenditure of the Commission during the next succeeding year. (2) The Council shall approve all expenditure of the Commission.
Proper account to be kept by Commission. 23. The Commission shall: (a) cause to be kept proper accounts and records of the transactions and affairs of the Commission and ensure that all payments out of its moneys are correctly made and properly authorized; (b) ensure that adequate control is maintained over the assets belonging to or in the custody of the Commission and over its incurring of liabilities; (c) prepare in respect of each financial year a statement of accounts in such forms as the Auditor-General may direct.
Audit. 24. (1) The Auditor-General of the Federation shall: (a) inspect and audit the accounts and records of financial transaction of the Commission; (b) inspect records relating to assets of the Commission; and (c) draw the attention of the Minister to any irregularity revealed and disclosed by the inspection and audit. (2) The Auditor-General may dispense with all or any part of detailed inspection and audit of any account or record referred to in subsection. (3) The Auditor-General or any officer authorized by him is entitled at all reasonable time to a full and free access to all accounts, records, documents and papers of the Commission relating directly or indirectly to the receipt or payment of money by the Commission or to the acquisition, receipt, custody or disposal of assets by the Commission.
Annual Report. 25. The Commission shall submit to the President through the Minister not later than 30th June, of each financial year, a report of its activities during the preceding financial year and it shall include a copy of the audited accounts of the Commission for that year and a copy of Auditors Report on it.
Power to acquire land. Cap. 202 LFN. 26. (1) For the purposes of providing offices and premises necessary for the performance of its functions under this Act, the Commission may, subject to the Land Use Act: (a) purchase or take on lease any interest in land, or other property; and (b) construct offices and premises and equip and maintain same. (2) The Commission may, subject to the Land Use Act, sell or lease out any office or premises held by it, which office or premises is no longer required for the performance of its functions under this act.
PART V - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Limitation of Suits against the Commission. Cap. 379 LFN. 27. (1) The provisions of the Public Officers Protection Act shall apply in relation to any suit instituted against the Commission or any of the officers or employees of the Commission. (2) No suit shall be commenced against a member of the Council, the Executive Secretary, officer or employee of the Commission before the expiration of a period of one month after written notice of intention to commence the suit shall have been served upon the Commission by the intending plaintiff or his agent. (3) The notice referred to in subsection (2) shall state the cause of action the particulars of the claims, the name and place of abode of the intending plaintiff and the relief which he claims.
Service of Documents. 28. A notice, summons or other document required or authorized to be served upon the Commission under the provisions of this Act or any other Law or enactment may be served by delivering it to the Executive Secretary or by sending it by registered post and addressed to the Executive Secretary at the principal office of the Commission.
Restriction on Execution against Property of the Commission. 29. (1) No execution or attachment of process shall be issued against the Commission or its properties in any action or suit without the consent of the Attorney-General of the Federation. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, in any action or suit against the Commission, no execution or attachment of process in the nature thereof shall be issued against the Commission unless not less than three months’ notice in writing of the intention to execute or attach has been given to the Commission. (3) Any sum of money which by the judgment of any Court is awarded against the Commission shall, subject to any direction given by the Court where notice of appeal of the said judgement has been given, be paid from the general reserve fund of the Commission.
Indemnity of Officers. 30. A member of the Council, the Executive Secretary, any officer or employee of the Commission shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Commission against any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgement is given in his favour, or in which he is acquitted, if any such proceeding is bought against him in his capacity as a member of the Council, the Executive Secretary, officer or employee of the Commission.
Engagement of Professionals other than staff. 31. The Executive Secretary may with the approval of the Council engage persons with knowledge or experience in gully erosion control and prevention or in matters relevant to the functions of the Commission to assist otherwise than on the basis of full - time employment.
Power of the Minister to give direction. 32. The Minister may give to the Commission directives of a general or special nature with respect to any of its functions. Regulations. 33. The Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make Regulations for the purpose of carrying out or giving full effect to the provisions of this Bill.
Interpretation. 34. In this Bill unless the context otherwise requires: "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Commission; "Commission" means Erosion Control and Prevention Commission; "Council" means a Governing Council of the Commission; "Gully Erosion" means land degradation and destruction resulting from various factors including natural causes (activities of rivers, rain, weathering) and human activities creating thereby gullies, ravines, craters, landslides and mudslide; "Member" means a member of the Council and includes the Chairman; "Minister" means the Minister in charge of matters relating to the Environment; "Power" includes functions and duty; and "President" means the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Citation. 35. This Bill may be cited as the Erosion Control and Prevention Commission Bill, 2017.
SCHEDULE SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE COUNCIL, ETC. Cap. 192 LFN. 1. (1) Subject to this Act and section 27 of the Interpretation Act, the Council may make standing orders regulating its proceedings or those of any of its Committees. (2) The quorum of the Council shall be the Chairman or the person presiding at the meeting and five other members of the Council, one of whom shall be ex-officio member and the quorum of any Committee of the Council shall be as determined by the Council. 2. (1) The Council shall meet whenever it is summoned by the Chairman and if the Chairman is required to do so by notice given to him by not less than eight other members, he shall summon a meeting of the Council to be held within fourteen days from the date on which the notice is given. (2) Where the Council desires to obtain the advice of any person on a particular matter, the Council may co-opt him to the Council for such a period as it deems fit, but a person who is in attendance by virtue of this sub-paragraph shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Council and shall not count towards a quorum. Committees 3. (1) The Council may appoint one or more Committees to carry out, on behalf of the Council such functions as the Council may determine. (2) A Committee appointed under this paragraph shall consist of such number of persons as may be determined by the Council and a person shall hold office in the Committee in accordance with the terms of his appointment. Miscellaneous 4. (1) The fixing of the seal of the Commission shall be authenticated by the signatures of the Chairman or any other member of the Council generally or specifically authorized by the Council to act for that purpose and the Executive Secretary. (2) Any contract or instrument which if made or executed by a person not being a body corporate, would not be required to be under seal may be made or executed on behalf of the Commission by the Executive Secretary or any person generally or specifically authorized by the Council to act for that purpose. (3) A document purporting to be a document duly executed under the seal of the Commission shall be received in evidence and shall unless and until contrary is proved, be presumed to be so executed. 5. The validity of any proceedings of the Councilor of a Committee shall not be adversely affected by: (a) a vacancy in the membership of the Councilor Committee; or (b) a defect in the appointment of a member of the Councilor Committee; (c) reason that a person not entitled to do so took part in the proceedings of the Councilor Committee.
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM This Bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the Erosion Control and Prevention Commission as a statutory body and to vest it with the responsibility to prevent, manage, control and redress erosion in the affected States.

Provisions of the Principal Act	Provisions of the Bill	Committee’s Recommendation
	Amendment of 2006 No. 15. 1. The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment, Etc.) Act 2006 (in this Act referred to as “the Principal Act”) is hereby amended as set out in this Act.
A Bill For An Act to provide for the establishment of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, and for related matters.	Redesignation of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency. 2. (1) The long title of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment, etc) Act 2006 is hereby re-designated as the “National Oil Pollution Management Agency (Establishment, Etc) Act 2006”. (2) Accordingly, any reference in the Act to "National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency" shall be construed as the “National Oil Pollution Management Agency”. (3) The re-designation of the enactment specified in sub-section (1) of this section shall not affect anything done or purported to be done under the designated enactment.
Establishment of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency. 1. (1) There is established an Agency to be known as the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (in this Act referred to as the "Agency") with responsibility for preparedness, detection and response to all oil spillages in Nigeria as set out in section 5 of this Act.	Amendment of section 1. 3. Section 1 of the Principal Act is amended in subsection (l) by subsisting for the existing subsection (1) a new subsection as follows: “(1) There is established an Agency to be known as the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (in this Act referred to as “the Agency”) with responsibility for preparedness, detection and response to all oil spillages, oily wastes and gas flare in Nigeria as set am in section 5 of this Act”.
Establishment of the Governing Board of the Agency. 2. (2) The Governing Board shall consist of- (b) one representative each of the following Federal Ministries not below the rank of Director- (i) Environment; (ii) Defence; (iii) Petroleum Resources; (iv) Transport; (v) Aviation (Department of Meteorology); (vi) Communications; (vii) National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); (viii) Works; (ix) Information and National Orientation; (x) Housing and Urban Development; (xi) the Nigerian Police; (xii) Oil Products Trade Section of Lagos Chamber of Commerce (OPTS); (xiii) Agriculture and Rural Development; (xiv) Water Resources; and (xv) Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research.	Amendment of section 2. 4. Section 2 of the Principal Act is amended in subsection (2) (b) by substituting for the existing paragraph (b) a new paragraph as follows: “(b) one representative each of the following Federal Ministries not below the rank of Director: (i) Environment; (ii) Petroleum Resources (iii) Defence; (iv) Transportation; (v) National Emergency Management Agency; and (vi) Oil Producers' Trade Section of Lagos Chambers of Commerce (OPTS).”
Objectives of the Agency 5. The objectives of the Agency shall be to co-ordinate and implement the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Nigeria (in this Act referred to as "the Plan") as follows- (a) safe, timely, effective and appropriate response to major or disastrous oil pollution;	Amendment of section 5. 5. Section 5 of the Principal Act is amended by: (a) substituting for the existing preamble, a new preamble as follows: “Objectives of the Agency. 5. The objectives of the Agency shall be to monitor and regulate Tiers 1 and 2 oil spills as well as coordinate, implement and review the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Nigeria (in this Act referred to as "the Plan") as follows:” (b) substituting for the existing paragraph (a), a new paragraph as follows: “(a) establish a viable national operational organization that ensures a safe, timely, effective and appropriate response to all oil and gas pollution as well as other hazardous and noxious substances in the petroleum sector.”
Functions of the Agency 6. (1) The Agency shall- (a) be responsible for surveillance and ensure compliance with all existing environmental legislation and the detection of oil spills in the petroleum sector; (b) receive reports of oil spillages and co-ordinate oil spill response activities throughout Nigeria; (c) co-ordinate the implementation of the Plan as may be formulated, from time to time, by the Federal Government; (d) co-ordinate the implementation of the Plan for the removal of hazardous substances as may be issued by the Federal Government; (e) perform such other functions as may be required to achieve the aims and objectives of the Agency under this Act or any plan as may be formulated by the Federal Government pursuant to this Act. Penalties. (2) An oil spiller is by this Act to report an oil spill to the Agency in writing not later than twenty-four hours after the occurrence of an oil spill, in default of which the failure to report shall attract a penalty in the sum ofN500,000.00 for each day of failure to report the occurrence. (3) The failure to clean up the impacted site, to all practical extent including remediation, shall attract a further fine of one million naira. (4) Such notice in writing is deemed to have been made, if delivered at the nearest zonal office closer to the impacted site, and of the Agency, the National Control and Response Centre within the stipulated time in subsection (2).	Amendment of section 6. 6. Section 6 of the Principal Act is amended by substituting for the existing one a new section as follows: Functions of the Agency. 6. (1) The Agency shall: (a) be responsible for surveillance and enforce compliance with all existing environmental legislation in the petroleum sector including those relating to prevention, detection and general management of oil spills, oily wastes and gas flare; (b) enforce compliance with the provisions of international agreements, protocols, conventions and treaties relating to oil and gas and oil spill response management and such other related agreements as may-from time to time come into force; (c) receive reports of oil spillages, leakages from gas pipelines, storage facilities and co-ordinate oil spill and gas leakages response activities throughout Nigeria; (d) ensure the remediation of oil impacted sites irrespective of the cause of the spillage; (e) co-ordinate the implementation of the Plan as may be formulated, from time to time, by the Federal Government; (f) co-ordinate the implementation of the Plan for the removal of hazardous and noxious substances as may be issued by the Federal Government; (g) ensure that all oil industry operators in Nigeria subscribe to and be bonafide members of Clean Nigeria Associates (CNA) or any other similar association by whatever name called; and. (h) perform such other functions as may be required to achieve the aims and objectives of the Agency under this Act or any plan as may be formulated by the Federal Government pursuant to this Act. Penalties (2) (a) An oil spiller is by this Act to report an oil spill to the Agency in writing, by fax or electronic mail not later than 24 hours after the occurrence of an oil spill in default of which the failure to report shall attract penalty in the sum of N2,000,000 for each day of failure to report the occurrence; (b) A gas pipeline or storage facility owner is by this Act to report a gas leakage to the Agency in writing, by fax or electronic mail not later than 24 hours after the occurrence of the gas leakage in default of which the failure to report shall attract penalty in the sum or N2,000,000 for each day of failure to report the occurrence. (3) The failure to clean up the impacted site, to all practical extent including the submission of action plan for remediation within two weeks of the occurrence of the spill in accordance with the polluter pays principle shall constitute an offence and on conviction the oil spiller shall be liable to a fine not less than N5,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both such fine and imprisonment. (4) The notice required under subsection (2) of this section shall be deemed to have been made, if delivered at the nearest zonal or field office of the Agency closer to the impacted site or the National Control and Response Centre within the time stipulated in subsection (2) of this section.”
	Insertion of new section. 7. (1) There shall be inserted immediately after section 7 of the Principal Act, the following new sections: Abandonment/Decommissioning of drill sites and oil facilities. 8. (1) The Agency shall monitor the process of decommissioning or abandonment of drill sites and oil facilities as well as oil and gas industry operational areas in accordance with the procedure and guidelines issued by the Agency. (2) The decommissioned/abandoned drill sites shall be cleaned-up, remediated and restored to its natural or near natural states by the oil facility owner. (3) The Agency shall be notified in writing to commence the decommissioning and abandonment of any oil facilities or installations within its area of operation. (4) Failure to request or notify the Agency on the commencement of such activities will attract penalties prescribed in the Agency's regulation, guidelines or standards. Pipelines and other oil facilities integrity monitoring and testing. 9. (1) The Agency shall assess the integrity of oil facilities which include but not limited to pipelines, well heads, manifolds, storage facilities, barges and vessels to ensure that oil facility owners conform to design specifications as well as the provision in the Agency's regulations, guidelines and standards for the oil and gas sector. (2) The Agency shall provide a programme for the assessment and monitoring of the oil and gas facilities to enhance its performance for distribution, storage and transportation of the upstream, midstream and downstream products”. (3) The existing sections 8 and 9 of the Principal Act shall be renumbered as section 10 and 11 respectively.
Fund of the Agency 11. The Agency shall establish and maintain a fund into which shall be paid and credited- (a) the take-off grant from the Federal Government; (b) annual subvention from the Federal Government consolidated revenue; (c) such counterpart funding as may be provided, from time to time by a State or Local Government; (d) loans and grants-in-aid from national, bilateral and multilateral agencies; (e) rents, fees and other internally generated revenues from services provided by the Agency; and (f) all other sums accruing to the Agency from time to time.	Amendment of section 11 8. Section 11 of the Principal Act is amended by: (a) inserting immediately after paragraph (b), a new paragraphs (c), (d) and (e) as follows: “(c) 2.5 per cent of the ecological fund annually for the management of oil spill disasters and remediation of oil impacted sites arising from third party interference; (d) 0.5 per cent operations funds of oil companies for the enforcement of environmental legislation in the petroleum sector;” (e) 10 cents from the sale of each barrel of oil to be set aside for environmental management;" (b) renumbering the existing paragraphs (c), (d), (e) (f) and (g) as paragraphs (f), (g), (h) and (i) respectively.
Federal Government intervention, etc. 19. (I) The Agency shall- (a) in the event of a major or disastrous oil spill, in collaboration with other Agencies co-opt, undertake and supervise, all those provisions as set out in the Second Schedule to this Act; (b) assess the extent of damage to the ecology by matching conditions following the spill against what existed before (reference baseline data and ESI maps); (3) The Agency shall - (d) assist in the assessment of damage caused by an oil spillage.	Amendment of section 19. 9. Section 19 of the Principal Act is amended by: (a) inserting the following new paragraph (b) immediately after subsection (1)(a), that is: “(b) inspect oil and gas facilities with a view to ensuring full compliance with existing environmental legislation on oil and gas pollution”; (b) renumbering the existing subsections (l) (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i) and (j) as subsections (1) (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j) and (k) respectively; (c) by deleting the existing subsection (3)(d).
Regulations. 26. The Agency may, with the approval of the Governing Board make such regulations as in its opinion are necessary or expedient for giving full effect to the provisions of this Act and for the due administration of its provisions.	Amendment of section 26. 10. Section 26 of the Principal Act is amended by: (a) renumbering the existing section as subsection (1); (b) adding the following new subsections (2): (3) and (4) immediately after subsection (1) to read: “(2) The Agency may in pursuance of the provision of subsection (l) of this section make regulations setting specifications and standard relating to the: (a) use of dispersant; (b) engagement or invitation of any oil spill responder by oil companies; (c) establishment of a benchmark for oil spill contingency planning; (d) development of framework to guide operators in Oil Spill Contingency Planning; and (e) most appropriate means of preventing and combating various oil spills and its attendant oil and gas pollution. (3) Any person who contravenes the regulations made pursuant to subsection (2) of this section commits an offence and shall on conviction, be liable to a fine not less than N500,000 or to imprisonment for a term not less than two years or to both such fine and imprisonment and additional fine ofN50,000 for every day the offence subsists. (4) Where an offence under subsection (2) of the section is committed by a body corporate, it shall on conviction be liable to a fine not less than N2,000,000 and additional fine of N500,000 for every day the offence subsists.".
	Insertion of new sections 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 11. (1) There shall be inserted immediately after section 26 of the Principal Act, the following new sections: “Power to enter premises. 27. (1) An officer of the Agency may, in the course of his duty, at any reasonable time and on production of his certificate of designation if so required: (a) enter and search with a warrant issued by a court, any premises including land, vehicle, tent, vessel, floating craft including Maritime Tankers, Barges of Floating Production, Storage, Offload (FPSO) and oil and gas facilities or any inland waters and other structure, at all times, for the purposes of conducting inspection, searching and taking samples for analysis which he reasonably believes. carries out activities or stores goods which contravene environmental standards or legislation relating to oil and oily wastes management; (b) examine any article found pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection, which appears to him to be an article to "which this Act or the regulations made under apply or anything which he reasonably believes is capable of being used to the detriment of the environment in the petroleum sector; (c) take a sample or specimen of any article to which this Act or the regulations apply or which he has power to examine under paragraph (b) of this subsection; (d) open and examine, pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection, any container or package which he reasonably believes may contain anything to which this Act or its regulations apply or which may help in his investigations; (e) examine any book, document or other record found pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection, which he reasonably believes may contain any information relevant to the enforcement of this Act or the regulations and make copies thereof or extracts there from; (f) seize and detain for such time as may be necessary for the purpose of this Act, any articles by means of or in relation to which he reasonably believes any provision of this Act or the regulations has been contravened; and (g) obtain an order of a court to suspend activities, seal and close down premises including land, vehicle, tent well head, vessel, floating craft and oil gas facilities or any inland waters and other structure whatsoever. (2) A written receipt shall be given for any article or thing seized under subsection (l) of this section and the reasons for such seizure shall be stated on such receipt. (3) An article seized under this Act shall be kept or stored in such a place as the officer of the Agency may direct and shall be returned to the owner or the person from where it was seized if the article upon analysis or examination is found to conform with tile requirements of this Act or regulations made under it. (4) An article seized by an officer of the Agency in pursuance of this Act or the regulations made under it, may be submitted to an analyst for analysis or examination and the analyst upon making such analysis or examination shall, issue a certificate or report in the prescribed form, setting forth the result of such analysis or examination and the officer of the Agency shall, on demand, deliver a copy of such certificate or report to the owner of the article if the article is to be subject of a proceeding under this Act or regulations thereunder. (5) In this section, the expression "article" to which this Act or regulations made under it apply are: (a) liquid, soil, vegetation; (b) biological and chemical samples; and (c) such other articles or samples as may be determined by the Agency. Offences and penalties. 28. (1) A person who obstructs an officer of the Agency in the performance of his duties under sections 5, 6 and 7 of this Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not less than N300,000 for an individual or to imprisonment for a term not less than 2 years or to both fine and imprisonment, and an additional fine of N50,000 for each day the offence subsists and in the case of a body corporate, it shall be liable on conviction for a fine of N5,000,000 and an additional fine of N500,000 for each day the offence subsists. (2) Any person who contravenes the provision of any regulations made under this Act is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to the penalties specified in the regulations. Conduct of proceedings. 29. (1) A suit shall not be commenced against the Agency before the expiration of a period of one month, after written notice of intention to commence the suit shall have been served on the Agency by the intending plaintiff or his agent. (2) Subject to the provisions of section 174 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, (which relates to the power of the Attorney-General of the Federation to institute, continue or discontinue criminal proceedings against any person in a court of law), any officer of the Agency may, with the consent of the Attorney -General of the Federation, conduct criminal proceedings in respect of offences under this Act or regulations made under this Act. (3) In a judicial proceeding for an offence under this Act or any regulation made under it, the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act or depending on the venue, the Criminal Procedure Code shall, with such modification as the circumstance may require, apply in respect of such matter to the same extent as they apply to the trial of offences generally. Existing laws. 30. (1) Any written law in force immediately before the coming into force of this Act relating to oil, oily wastes pollution management and gas leakages in the petroleum sector shall have effect subject to modifications as may be necessary to bring into conformity with the provisions of this Act and where the provision of any such law is inconsistent with any provision of this Act, the provision of this Act shall prevail, and that other law shall be void to the extent of its inconsistency. (2) Any written law in force immediately before the coming into force of this Act conferring oil: oily wastes pollution management and gas leakages functions on any other establishment or agency in the petroleum sector is hereby repealed to the extent of its duplication. Requisition, etc. 31. (1) In the exercise of its functions under this Act, the Agency may demand by requisition from any person or organization, any available equipment, facilities or personnel which may assist in a speedy and effective cleaning and rescue operation during an oil spill disaster. (2) Any person or organization that: (a) willfully obstructs or impedes the Agency or any person acting under the authority of the Agency in the exercise of any powers or duties under this Act; or (b) without reasonable excuse fails to: (i) render assistance or release any available equipment, facility or personnel required for cleaning and rescue operation or other oil spill disaster curtailment activities; or (ii) comply with a directive of the Agency, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not less than N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 2 years or to both such fine and imprisonment. (3) The Agency shall ensure that the Polluter provides reasonable compensation for loss or damage arising from the use of any equipment, facility or personnel required under this section of this Act.” (4) The existing sections 27 and 28 of the principal Act shall be renumbered as sections 34 and 35 respectively.
Interpretation. 27. In this Act- "Agency" means the National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency established under section 1 of this Act; "Centre" means the National Control and Response Centre established under section 19 of this Act; "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Agency; "Governing Board" means the National Oil Spill Detection Response Governing Board of the Agency established under section 2 of this Act; "member" means a member of the Governing Board of the Agency and includes the Chairman; "Minister" means the Minister charged with responsibilities for matters relating to Environment; and "Ministry" shall be construed accordingly.	Amendment of section 27. 12. There shall be substituted for the existing section 27 of the Principal Act, the following new section, that is: “Interpretation. 32. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires: "Agency" means the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency established under section 1 of this Act; "Centre" means the National Control and Response Centre established under section 18 of this Act; "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Agency; "Constitution" Constitution of the Federal means Republic of Nigeria; "Court" means Federal or State High Court; "gas" or "natural gas" means wet gas, dry gas, lean gas, all other gaseous hydrocarbons, and all substances contained therein, which are produced along with crude oil or gas; excluding those condensed or extracted liquid hydrocarbons that are liquid at normal temperatures and pressure conditions such as stabilized or field condensate, including the residue gas remaining after the condensation or extraction of the liquid hydrocarbon from gas; "Governing Board" means the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Governing Board of the Agency established under section 2 of this Act; "member" means a member of the Governing Board of the Agency and includes the Chairman; "Minister" means the Minister charged with responsibilities for matters relating to environment; "Ministry" shall be construed accordingly; "officer" means any employee of the Agency; "oil" means mineral oil (or any related hydrocarbon) or natural gas as it exists in its natural state in strata, and does not include coal or bituminous shade or' other stratified deposits from which oil can be extracted by destructive distillation but including premium motor spirit, automotive gas oil, low/high pour, fuel oil, aviation fuel, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gases and any lubrication oil or grease or other lubricant oil in its natural state before it has been refined or treated; "oil spill responder" includes Clean Nigeria Associates (Oil Companies Cooperative), Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) or any other oil spill response contractors; and "release" means any spilling, leaking, pump Leaking, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, discarding or disposing into the environment;" "remediation" means the process of remedying or restoring an area or situation to its natural (or as close to natural as possible) state"; "Tier" means operational type spills, less than or equal to 7 tones (50 bbls), that may occur at or near a company's own facilities, as a consequence of its own activities." and "Tier 2" means a larger spill, greater that 7 tones (50 bbls) but less than 700 tones (5000 bbls), in the vicinity of a company's facilities where resources from another company, industry and possible government response agencies in the area can be called in on a mutual aid basis; "Tier3" means a larger spill, greater than 700 tones (500bbb) where substantial further resources will be required and support from a Nation (Tier 3) or international cooperative stockpile, like the Oil spill Response Ltd (OSRL, may be necessary. It is likely that such operation would be subject to Government controls or even direction.
	Short title. 13. This Act may be cited as the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment, Etc.) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
FIRST SCHEDULE [Section 2 (5)] Supplementary Provisions Relating to the Governing Board, etc. Proceedings of the Governing Board 3. The quorum at a meeting of the Governing Board shall consist of the Chairman or, in an appropriate case, the person presiding at the meeting pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Schedule and six other members.	Amendment of the First Schedule 14. The First Schedule to the Principal Act is amended by substituting for the word "six" the word "three" in the third line of paragraph 3 therein.
	EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM (This note does not form part of the above Act but is intended to explain its purport) This Act amends the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency Establishment, Etc.) Act 2006 to provide, among other things, statutory power for the Agency to charge adequate fines, introduce criminal offences and penalties in order to ensure strict compliance with all existing environmental legislation in the petroleum sector.

Provisions of the Bill	Committee’s Recommendation
PART 1 - ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS CONTROL AGENCY Establishment of the agency. 1. (l) There is established a body to be known as Environmental Disasters Control Agency. (2) The Head Office of the Agency shall be in Abuja with an office in each State of the Federation.
Establishment of a Governing Council. 2. (1) There shall be a Governing Council for the Agency (in this Bill referred to as "the Establishment Council") which shall control the affairs of the Agency of a Governing Council. (2) The Council shall consist of: (a) Chairman; (b) 2 representatives from each of the six zones and the Federal Capital Territory and a representative from the following Ministries- (i) Federal Ministry of Environment; (ii) Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources; (iii) Federal Ministry of Works; (iv) Federal Ministry of Finance; (c) National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); (d) Director-General of the Agency. (3) Appointment of the Council members- (a) the Chairman and the members of the Council shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of Environment; (b) shall be persons of proven integrity, honour and ability; and (c) shall be part-time members except the Director-General who shall be on full-time basis.
Schedule. 3. The supplementary provisions set out in the Schedule to this Bill shall have effect with respect to the proceedings of the Council and other matters contained therein.
Tenure of office. 4. The Chairman and the members of the Council shall each hold office: (a) for a term of 4 years and may be reappointed for a further term of 4 years and no more; and (b) on such terms and conditions as may be specified in their letters of appointment.
Cessation of membership. 5. (1) A person shall cease to hold office as a member of the Council if- (a) he becomes bankrupt, suspends payment or compounds with his creditors; (b) he is convicted of a felony or any offence involving dishonesty or fraud; (c) he becomes of unsound mind or is incapable of carrying out his duties; (d) he is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties; (e) in the case of a person. who possesses any professional qualification and is disqualified or suspended, other than at his own requests, from practising his profession in any part of the world by any order of a competent authority made in respect of that member; or (f) he resigns his appointment by a letter addressed to the President. (2) Where a member of the Council ceases to hold office for any reason whatsoever, before the expiration of the term for which he is appointed, another person representing the same interest as that member shall be appointed to the Council for the unexpired term. (3) A member of the Council may be removed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister if he is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the Agency or the public that the member continues in office.
Allowance of members. 6. Members of the Council shall be paid such allowances and expenses as the Government may direct from time to time.
Power of the Council. 7. The Council shall have power to- (a) manage and superintend over the affairs of the Agency; (b) make rules and regulations for the effective running of the Agency; (c) employ and pay the staff of the Agency such remuneration and allowances payable to person in similar organisations in the country; (d) enter into such contracts as may be necessary or expedient for the discharge of its functions and to ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the Agency; and (e) receive, disburse and account for Funds of the Agency.
PART II - FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE AGENCY Functions of the agency. 8. (1) The functions of the Agency are to: (a) carry out an extensive survey of the extent of environmental disasters in the country such as desertification, deforestation, drought, floods, erosions, ocean surge, etc; (b) formulate policies and guidelines for the control and management of environmental disasters in the country; (c) conceive, plan, and implement in accordance with set rules, projects and programmes for environmental disasters control and management; (d) provide emergency relief and settlement of people in areas afflicted by environmental disasters by the Federal Government; (e) identify factors inhibiting the control and management of environmental disaster in the country; (f) ensure sound and efficient management of the resources available to the Agency from the Federation Account; (g) to provide solutions to the problems of desertification, floods, deforestation erosion, droughts and all the ecological challenges; (h) provide accurate data on environmental menace in the country; and (i) carry out such functions as the President may from time to time direct. (2) Pursuant to section 7(1) (a), the functions of the River Basins Development Authorities Act, relating to control of floods and erosion are hereby transferred to this Agency.
Powers of the agency. 9. (1) The Agency has power to do anything which will facilitate the carrying out of it functions and in particular may: (a) sue or be sued in its corporate name; (b) acquire, hold, and manage movable and immovable property; (c) monitor and control desertification, drought, erosion, floods, deforestation, ocean surge, coastal erosion, and related environmental disasters in the affected areas; (d) enter into contracts for the control and management of all desertification, drought, erosion, floods and other environmental problems; (e) purchase, or acquire any asset, businesses or property considered necessary for the proper conduct of its functions; (f) sell, let, lease or dispose of any of its property; (g) undertake or sponsor research where necessary, for the performance of its functions; and (h) train managerial, technical or other category of staff for the purpose of running the affairs of the Agency. (2) The powers conferred on the Agency may be exercise by it or through any of its employees or agents authorised in that behalf by the Agency. (3) The Agency shall not be subject to the direction, control or supervision by any other authority or person in the performance of its functions under this Bill except the President on the advice of the Minister.
PART III - APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL Appointment and duties of the Director-General. 10. (1) There shall be a Director-General who shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of Environment. (2) The Director-General shall: (a) be the Chief Executive and accounting officer of the Agency; and (b) be responsible to the Council for execution of the policies and the administration of the daily affairs of the Agency.
Tenure of office and remuneration of the Director-General. 11. (1) The Director-General shall be appointed for a term of 5 years in the first instance and may be reappointed for a further term of 5 years and no more, subject to satisfactory performance. (2) The Director-General shall be paid such remuneration as may be prescribed in his letter of appointment.
Resignation of Director-General. 12. The Director-General may resign his appointment by a letter delivered to the President through the Minister.
Staff of the agency. 13. The Council shall appoint for the Agency such number of employees as may in the opinion of the Council be expedient and necessary for the proper and efficient performance of the functions of the Agency and pay them remunerations and allowances as obtained in the public service.
Appointment and duties of Secretary. 14. The Council shall appoint for the Agency a Secretary who shall- (a) be a qualified graduate with not less than 10 years post NYSC experience; (b) keep the records and conduct the correspondence of the Agency; and (c) perform such other functions as the Councilor the Director-General may direct.
Appointment and secondment from public service. 15. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 12 and 13, the Council shall have power to appoint for the Agency either directly or on secondment from any public service in the Federation, such number of employees as may, in the opinion of the Council be required to assist the Agency in the discharge of any of its functions under this Bill. (2) The person seconded under this section may elect to be transferred to the service of the Agency, and any previous service he might have rendered in the public service shall count as service to the Agency for the purpose of any pension subsequently payable by the Agency.
Structure of the agency. 16. There shall be established for the Agency such departments as may be deemed expedient for efficient operation.
PART IV- FINANCIAL PROVISIONS AND AUDIT Provision of superannuation. 17. The Agency shall pay gratuities or provide and maintain further such superannuating schemes (whether contributory or not for the employees).
Funds of the agency. 18. (1) The Agency shall establish and maintain a Fund into which all moneys accruable to the Agency shall be paid and from which all the activities of the Agency shall be Funded. (2) There shall be paid and credited to the Fund such money as may be appropriated by the National Assembly: (a) by the Federal Government, the equivalent of 3 percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund; (b) all the moneys accruing to the Ecological Fund Office upon the enactment of the Bill; (c) donations, gifts and grants from individuals or corporate organisations at home and abroad. (3) The Funds of the Agency shall be disbursed according to the approved formula. (4) The Council shall cause the accounts of the Agency to be audited quarterly and shall be externally audited once every year.
Power to accept gifts. 19. (1) The Agency may accept gifts of land, money or other property on such terms and conditions, if any, as may be specified by the person or organisation making the gift. (2) The Agency shall not accept any gift if the conditions attached are inconsistent with the functions of the Agency under the Bill.
Power to borrow. 20. The Agency may, from time to time, borrow such sums of money as it may require to execute or complete some special projects of the Agency.
Annual estimates and expenditure. 21. (1) The Council shall, not later than 30th of September each year, submit to the National Assembly through the Minister an estimate of the expenditure of the Agency during the next succeeding fiscal year. (2) The Council shall approve all expenditure of the Agency.
Accounts and records. 22. The Agency shall: (a) cause to be kept proper account and records of the transactions and affairs of the Agency and ensure that all payments out of its moneys are correctly made and properly authorised; (b) ensure that adequate control is maintained over assets of, or in the custody of the Agency and over incurring of liabilities; and (c) prepare in respect of each financial year a statement of accounts in such form as the Auditor-General may direct.
Audit. 23. The accounts of the Agency shall be audited not later than six months after the end of the year to which they relate by Auditors appointed by the Agency from the list of the Auditors supplied and in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Annual Report. 24. The Agency shall prepare and submit to the Council not later than so" June each year a report on the activities of the Agency, the audited accounts of the Agency and the Auditors report thereon for each year preceding the report.
Power to acquire land. 25. The Agency may subject to the Land Use Act, acquire any land for the purpose of discharging its functions.
PART V- MISCELLANOUS PROVISIONS Limitation of suits against the agency. 26. The Provisions of the Public Protection Act shall apply in relation to any suit instituted against any officer or employee of the Agency.
Service of documents. 27. A notice, summons or any other documents required or authorised to be served upon Agency under the provisions of this Bill or any other law or enactment may be served by delivering it to the Director-General at the principal office of the Agency.
Indemnity of officers. 28. A member of the Council, the Director-General, an officer or employee of the Agency shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Agency against any proceeding, whether civil or criminal, in which judgement is given in his favour, or in which he is acquitted if any such proceeding is brought against him in his capacity as member of the Council, Director-General, officer or employee of the Agency.
Engagement of experts other than staff. 29. The Director-General may with the approval of the Council engage persons with knowledge or experience in the control of desertification, drought, floods, erosion, ocean surge, deforestation, coastal erosion or other ecological related issues or in matters relevant to the functions of the Agency to assist otherwise than on the basis of full time employment.
Power to give directive to the agency. 30. The President or Minister may give to the Agency directives of a general or special nature with respect to any of its functions.
Savings and transitional provision. 31. (1) The statutory functions, rights, interests, obligations and liabilities of the Ecological Funds Office before the commencement of this Bill under any contract or instrument, shall by virtue of this Bill be deemed to have been assigned to and vested in the Agency. (2) All assets, funds, resources or any other movable or immovable property which immediately before the commencement of the Bill, were vested in the Ecological Fund Office shall be vested in the Agency.
Regulation. 32. The Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations for the purpose of carrying out or giving full effect to the provisions of this Bill.
Interpretation. 33. In this Bill- "Agency" means Environmental Disasters Control Agency established under section 1 (1) of this Bill; "Council" means a Governing Council of the Agency established under section 2(1) of this Bill; "Environmental disasters" include erosion, desertification, floods, droughts, ocean surge, deforestation, hurricane, storms and whirlwind; "function" includes power and duty; “member" means a member of the Council and includes the Chairman; "the Minister" means the Minister in charge of Environment; and "the President" means the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Citation. 34. This Bill may be cited as the Desertification, Erosion, Flood and Ecological Control Agency Bill, 2015.
SCHEDULE SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE COUNCIL, ETC. Proceeding of the Council 1. (1) Subject to the Interpretation Act, the Council may make standing order regulation its proceedings or any of its committees. (2) The quorum of the Council shall be the Chairman, or the person presiding at the meeting and 1/3 of membership present. 2. (1) The Council shall meet whenever it is summoned by the chairman and if the chairman is required to do so by notice given to him by not less than 1/3 of the membership, he will summon a meeting of the Council to be held within two weeks from the date on which the notice is given. (2) Where the Council desires to obtain the advice of any person on a particular matter, the Council may co-opt him to the Council for such period as it deems fit. But a person who is in attendance by virtue of this subparagraph shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Council and shall not count towards a quorum. Committee 1. (1) The Council may appoint one or more committees to carry out on behalf of the Council such functions as the Council may determine. (2) A committee appointed under this paragraph shall consider such number of persons as may be determined by the Council and a person shall hold office on the committee in accordance with the terms of his appointment. (3) A decision of a committee of the Council shall be of no effect until it is confirmed by the Council. 2. (1) The fixing of the seal of the Agency shall be authenticated by the signatures of the Chairman or any other member of the Council generally or specifically authorised by the Council to act for that purpose. (2) Any contract or instrument which, if made or executed by a person not being a body corporate, would not be required to be under seal may be executed on behalf of the Agency by the Director-General or any person generally or specifically authorised by Council to act for that purpose. (3) A document purporting to be a document duly executed under the seal of the Agency shall be received in evidence and shall, unless and until the contrary is proved, be presumed to be so executed. (4) The validity of any proceedings of the Council shall not be adversely affected by - (a) a vacancy in the Councilor committee; (b) a defect in the appointment of a member of the Councilor committee; or (c) reason that a person not entitled to do so took part in the proceedings of the Council or committee.
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM This Bill, among other things seeks to establish an Environmental Disasters Control Agency as a statutory body and vests it with the responsibility to manage and control desertification, drought, erosion, floods, deforestation, ocean surge, hurricane, storm, whirlwind in any state of the Federation.

Provisions of the Bill	Committee’s Recommendation
PART 1 - ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS CONTROL AGENCY Establishment of the agency. 1. (l) There is established a body to be known as Environmental Disasters Control Agency. (2) The Head Office of the Agency shall be in Abuja with an office in each State of the Federation.
Establishment of a Governing Council. 2. (1) There shall be a Governing Council for the Agency (in this Bill referred to as "the Establishment Council") which shall control the affairs of the Agency of a Governing Council. (2) The Council shall consist of: (a) Chairman; (b) 2 representatives from each of the six zones and the Federal Capital Territory and a representative from the following Ministries- (i) Federal Ministry of Environment; (ii) Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources; (iii) Federal Ministry of Works; (iv) Federal Ministry of Finance; (c) National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); (d) Director-General of the Agency. (3) Appointment of the Council members- (a) the Chairman and the members of the Council shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of Environment; (b) shall be persons of proven integrity, honour and ability; and (c) shall be part-time members except the Director-General who shall be on full-time basis.
Schedule. 3. The supplementary provisions set out in the Schedule to this Bill shall have effect with respect to the proceedings of the Council and other matters contained therein.
Tenure of office. 4. The Chairman and the members of the Council shall each hold office: (a) for a term of 4 years and may be reappointed for a further term of 4 years and no more; and (b) on such terms and conditions as may be specified in their letters of appointment.
Cessation of membership. 5. (1) A person shall cease to hold office as a member of the Council if- (a) he becomes bankrupt, suspends payment or compounds with his creditors; (b) he is convicted of a felony or any offence involving dishonesty or fraud; (c) he becomes of unsound mind or is incapable of carrying out his duties; (d) he is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties; (e) in the case of a person. who possesses any professional qualification and is disqualified or suspended, other than at his own requests, from practising his profession in any part of the world by any order of a competent authority made in respect of that member; or (f) he resigns his appointment by a letter addressed to the President. (2) Where a member of the Council ceases to hold office for any reason whatsoever, before the expiration of the term for which he is appointed, another person representing the same interest as that member shall be appointed to the Council for the unexpired term. (3) A member of the Council may be removed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister if he is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the Agency or the public that the member continues in office.
Allowance of members. 6. Members of the Council shall be paid such allowances and expenses as the Government may direct from time to time.
Power of the Council. 7. The Council shall have power to- (a) manage and superintend over the affairs of the Agency; (b) make rules and regulations for the effective running of the Agency; (c) employ and pay the staff of the Agency such remuneration and allowances payable to person in similar organisations in the country; (d) enter into such contracts as may be necessary or expedient for the discharge of its functions and to ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the Agency; and (e) receive, disburse and account for Funds of the Agency.
PART II - FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE AGENCY Functions of the agency. 8. (1) The functions of the Agency are to: (a) carry out an extensive survey of the extent of environmental disasters in the country such as desertification, deforestation, drought, floods, erosions, ocean surge, etc; (b) formulate policies and guidelines for the control and management of environmental disasters in the country; (c) conceive, plan, and implement in accordance with set rules, projects and programmes for environmental disasters control and management; (d) provide emergency relief and settlement of people in areas afflicted by environmental disasters by the Federal Government; (e) identify factors inhibiting the control and management of environmental disaster in the country; (f) ensure sound and efficient management of the resources available to the Agency from the Federation Account; (g) to provide solutions to the problems of desertification, floods, deforestation erosion, droughts and all the ecological challenges; (h) provide accurate data on environmental menace in the country; and (i) carry out such functions as the President may from time to time direct. (2) Pursuant to section 7(1) (a), the functions of the River Basins Development Authorities Act, relating to control of floods and erosion are hereby transferred to this Agency.
Powers of the agency. 9. (1) The Agency has power to do anything which will facilitate the carrying out of it functions and in particular may: (a) sue or be sued in its corporate name; (b) acquire, hold, and manage movable and immovable property; (c) monitor and control desertification, drought, erosion, floods, deforestation, ocean surge, coastal erosion, and related environmental disasters in the affected areas; (d) enter into contracts for the control and management of all desertification, drought, erosion, floods and other environmental problems; (e) purchase, or acquire any asset, businesses or property considered necessary for the proper conduct of its functions; (f) sell, let, lease or dispose of any of its property; (g) undertake or sponsor research where necessary, for the performance of its functions; and (h) train managerial, technical or other category of staff for the purpose of running the affairs of the Agency. (2) The powers conferred on the Agency may be exercise by it or through any of its employees or agents authorised in that behalf by the Agency. (3) The Agency shall not be subject to the direction, control or supervision by any other authority or person in the performance of its functions under this Bill except the President on the advice of the Minister.
PART III - APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL Appointment and duties of the Director-General. 10. (1) There shall be a Director-General who shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister of Environment. (2) The Director-General shall: (a) be the Chief Executive and accounting officer of the Agency; and (b) be responsible to the Council for execution of the policies and the administration of the daily affairs of the Agency.
Tenure of office and remuneration of the Director-General. 11. (1) The Director-General shall be appointed for a term of 5 years in the first instance and may be reappointed for a further term of 5 years and no more, subject to satisfactory performance. (2) The Director-General shall be paid such remuneration as may be prescribed in his letter of appointment.
Resignation of Director-General. 12. The Director-General may resign his appointment by a letter delivered to the President through the Minister.
Staff of the agency. 13. The Council shall appoint for the Agency such number of employees as may in the opinion of the Council be expedient and necessary for the proper and efficient performance of the functions of the Agency and pay them remunerations and allowances as obtained in the public service.
Appointment and duties of Secretary. 14. The Council shall appoint for the Agency a Secretary who shall- (a) be a qualified graduate with not less than 10 years post NYSC experience; (b) keep the records and conduct the correspondence of the Agency; and (c) perform such other functions as the Councilor the Director-General may direct.
Appointment and secondment from public service. 15. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 12 and 13, the Council shall have power to appoint for the Agency either directly or on secondment from any public service in the Federation, such number of employees as may, in the opinion of the Council be required to assist the Agency in the discharge of any of its functions under this Bill. (2) The person seconded under this section may elect to be transferred to the service of the Agency, and any previous service he might have rendered in the public service shall count as service to the Agency for the purpose of any pension subsequently payable by the Agency.
Structure of the agency. 16. There shall be established for the Agency such departments as may be deemed expedient for efficient operation.
PART IV- FINANCIAL PROVISIONS AND AUDIT Provision of superannuation. 17. The Agency shall pay gratuities or provide and maintain further such superannuating schemes (whether contributory or not for the employees).
Funds of the agency. 18. (1) The Agency shall establish and maintain a Fund into which all moneys accruable to the Agency shall be paid and from which all the activities of the Agency shall be Funded. (2) There shall be paid and credited to the Fund such money as may be appropriated by the National Assembly: (a) by the Federal Government, the equivalent of 3 percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund; (b) all the moneys accruing to the Ecological Fund Office upon the enactment of the Bill; (c) donations, gifts and grants from individuals or corporate organisations at home and abroad. (3) The Funds of the Agency shall be disbursed according to the approved formula. (4) The Council shall cause the accounts of the Agency to be audited quarterly and shall be externally audited once every year.
Power to accept gifts. 19. (1) The Agency may accept gifts of land, money or other property on such terms and conditions, if any, as may be specified by the person or organisation making the gift. (2) The Agency shall not accept any gift if the conditions attached are inconsistent with the functions of the Agency under the Bill.
Power to borrow. 20. The Agency may, from time to time, borrow such sums of money as it may require to execute or complete some special projects of the Agency.
Annual estimates and expenditure. 21. (1) The Council shall, not later than 30th of September each year, submit to the National Assembly through the Minister an estimate of the expenditure of the Agency during the next succeeding fiscal year. (2) The Council shall approve all expenditure of the Agency.
Accounts and records. 22. The Agency shall: (a) cause to be kept proper account and records of the transactions and affairs of the Agency and ensure that all payments out of its moneys are correctly made and properly authorised; (b) ensure that adequate control is maintained over assets of, or in the custody of the Agency and over incurring of liabilities; and (c) prepare in respect of each financial year a statement of accounts in such form as the Auditor-General may direct.
Audit. 23. The accounts of the Agency shall be audited not later than six months after the end of the year to which they relate by Auditors appointed by the Agency from the list of the Auditors supplied and in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Annual Report. 24. The Agency shall prepare and submit to the Council not later than so" June each year a report on the activities of the Agency, the audited accounts of the Agency and the Auditors report thereon for each year preceding the report.
Power to acquire land. 25. The Agency may subject to the Land Use Act, acquire any land for the purpose of discharging its functions.
PART V- MISCELLANOUS PROVISIONS Limitation of suits against the agency. 26. The Provisions of the Public Protection Act shall apply in relation to any suit instituted against any officer or employee of the Agency.
Service of documents. 27. A notice, summons or any other documents required or authorised to be served upon Agency under the provisions of this Bill or any other law or enactment may be served by delivering it to the Director-General at the principal office of the Agency.
Indemnity of officers. 28. A member of the Council, the Director-General, an officer or employee of the Agency shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Agency against any proceeding, whether civil or criminal, in which judgement is given in his favour, or in which he is acquitted if any such proceeding is brought against him in his capacity as member of the Council, Director-General, officer or employee of the Agency.
Engagement of experts other than staff. 29. The Director-General may with the approval of the Council engage persons with knowledge or experience in the control of desertification, drought, floods, erosion, ocean surge, deforestation, coastal erosion or other ecological related issues or in matters relevant to the functions of the Agency to assist otherwise than on the basis of full time employment.
Power to give directive to the agency. 30. The President or Minister may give to the Agency directives of a general or special nature with respect to any of its functions.
Savings and transitional provision. 31. (1) The statutory functions, rights, interests, obligations and liabilities of the Ecological Funds Office before the commencement of this Bill under any contract or instrument, shall by virtue of this Bill be deemed to have been assigned to and vested in the Agency. (2) All assets, funds, resources or any other movable or immovable property which immediately before the commencement of the Bill, were vested in the Ecological Fund Office shall be vested in the Agency.
Regulation. 32. The Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations for the purpose of carrying out or giving full effect to the provisions of this Bill.
Interpretation. 33. In this Bill- "Agency" means Environmental Disasters Control Agency established under section 1 (1) of this Bill; "Council" means a Governing Council of the Agency established under section 2(1) of this Bill; "Environmental disasters" include erosion, desertification, floods, droughts, ocean surge, deforestation, hurricane, storms and whirlwind; "function" includes power and duty; “member" means a member of the Council and includes the Chairman; "the Minister" means the Minister in charge of Environment; and "the President" means the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Citation. 34. This Bill may be cited as the Desertification, Erosion, Flood and Ecological Control Agency Bill, 2015.
SCHEDULE SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE COUNCIL, ETC. Proceeding of the Council 1. (1) Subject to the Interpretation Act, the Council may make standing order regulation its proceedings or any of its committees. (2) The quorum of the Council shall be the Chairman, or the person presiding at the meeting and 1/3 of membership present. 2. (1) The Council shall meet whenever it is summoned by the chairman and if the chairman is required to do so by notice given to him by not less than 1/3 of the membership, he will summon a meeting of the Council to be held within two weeks from the date on which the notice is given. (2) Where the Council desires to obtain the advice of any person on a particular matter, the Council may co-opt him to the Council for such period as it deems fit. But a person who is in attendance by virtue of this subparagraph shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Council and shall not count towards a quorum. Committee 1. (1) The Council may appoint one or more committees to carry out on behalf of the Council such functions as the Council may determine. (2) A committee appointed under this paragraph shall consider such number of persons as may be determined by the Council and a person shall hold office on the committee in accordance with the terms of his appointment. (3) A decision of a committee of the Council shall be of no effect until it is confirmed by the Council. 2. (1) The fixing of the seal of the Agency shall be authenticated by the signatures of the Chairman or any other member of the Council generally or specifically authorised by the Council to act for that purpose. (2) Any contract or instrument which, if made or executed by a person not being a body corporate, would not be required to be under seal may be executed on behalf of the Agency by the Director-General or any person generally or specifically authorised by Council to act for that purpose. (3) A document purporting to be a document duly executed under the seal of the Agency shall be received in evidence and shall, unless and until the contrary is proved, be presumed to be so executed. (4) The validity of any proceedings of the Council shall not be adversely affected by - (a) a vacancy in the Councilor committee; (b) a defect in the appointment of a member of the Councilor committee; or (c) reason that a person not entitled to do so took part in the proceedings of the Council or committee.
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM This Bill, among other things seeks to establish an Environmental Disasters Control Agency as a statutory body and vests it with the responsibility to manage and control desertification, drought, erosion, floods, deforestation, ocean surge, hurricane, storm, whirlwind in any state of the Federation.

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