Babatunji Wusu –
The Nigerian federal government has called on mining and quarrying companies to adopt zero-waste policies in order to promote environmental sustainability alongside economic growth. This charge was made by the Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, during a Keynote address at a workshop on the mainstreaming of Circular Economy in land degradation sectors, specifically in construction, mining, and quarrying. The event, organized by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in collaboration with the European Union, took place on Thursday in Abuja.
In his address, Lawal emphasized the need for a balanced approach to development, particularly within the mining and quarrying industries. He pointed out that while these sectors are crucial to Nigeria’s economic advancement, they also contribute significantly to land degradation through practices such as unregulated mining, deforestation, and environmental pollution. He noted that these activities create an imbalance between economic development and environmental sustainability, as evidenced by abandoned mining pits, exhausted quarry sites, and the degradation of ecosystems. The Minister lamented the negative impacts of unregulated mining and quarrying on local communities and the environment.
To address these challenges, Lawal called for the adoption of Circular Economy principles within the mining and construction industries. Circular Economy, he explained, provides a framework for reducing waste, conserving resources, and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources. He urged the industry to prioritize land rehabilitation and incorporate zero-waste policies, where mining by-products such as tailings and waste rocks are repurposed for other industrial or construction applications. This approach, he argued, would significantly reduce the environmental footprint of mining operations.
Dr. Innocent Barikor, the Director General of NESREA, echoed Lawal’s sentiments, highlighting that the Circular Economy offers a transformative framework that emphasizes resource conservation, waste-to-resource systems, and sustainable urban development. He stressed the importance of stakeholder collaboration to speed up the restoration of degraded lands, regeneration of ecosystems, and the protection of the environment for future generations.
In support of these initiatives, Senator Akintude Yunus, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment, and Hon. Terseer Ugbor, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Environment, both pledged their support for the necessary legislative backing to strengthen environmental protection laws in Nigeria.
