FG moves to stop single-use plastics

To reduce environmental pollution, the nation's Federal Ministry of Environment has started a campaign to outlaw single-use plastics.

The initiative would begin, according to the ministry, with the Ministry of Environment's Abuja headquarters banning the use of single-use plastics.

The choice was made on Saturday during a two-day ministerial/top management retreat that the ministry hosted in Kaduna.

The retreat was planned for directors, heads of ministry agencies, programmes, and special projects, with the theme being "Policy Embedment and Synergy of Prioritised Action for a Renewed Hope in Environmental Management."

A "Circular Nigeria Committee" was established to assist in putting the nation's circular economy roadmap into action, according to a statement released following the retreat.
The committee, which is led by Prof. Aliyu Jauro, Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, will also work to gradually phase out the use of single-use plastic in the nation, beginning with the ministry and its departments.

The "Circular Nigeria Committee" would guarantee sustainable waste management and ease the implementation of the circular economy roadmap, according to a press release signed by Mallam Stanley Jonah, the Ministry's Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics.

According to the statement, the committee would give mentorship, institutional knowledge transfer, and an efficient succession plan top priority.

The retreat also decided to promote a waste-reduction culture within the Federal Ministry of Environment and its agencies by banning the use of single-use plastic.
The ministry's and its agencies' employees were also asked to set an example for others by taking additional individual climate actions in their surroundings.

"In order to guarantee the prompt release of funds, procurement plans must be finished early and submitted to the appropriate government agencies.”

It further "emphasised the need for reinforcement of the forest guards in line with Mr. President's vision to rid our forests of bandits."

83 delegates from the ministry's departments, agencies, programmes, and special projects attended the ministerial retreat. Other important stakeholders who attended included the Development Partners, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and the Bureau of Public Procurement.