THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS REGULATION ENFORCEMENT ACT 2007: HICCUPS AGAINST EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The post   independent period in Nigeria has witnessed gradual growth in the nation's economy through industrialization made possible from mineral resources, exploration and exploitation. The above economic development, no doubt has left its own toll on the environment, with the environment suffering one form of degradation or the other. Therefore, there i\ need to put some mechanisms in place to address the various abuses that the environment is facing. The Federal Government of Nigeria has  no  doubt  taken  a  number  of steps  to  address  these  obvious environmental problems in the country. Concerted efforts in this regard date back to the rear 198$ following the unfortunate incident of the dumping of toxic hazardous wastes at Koko Port in the Delta area of Nigeria.    This   incident   led   to   the   establishment   of the   Federal Environmental Protection Agency(FEPA) through Decree No. 58 of 1988 as amended by Decree 59 of 1992. This Act however was repealed by the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency ( Establishment) Act (NESREA), the Act'under Consideration. This paper X-rayed bv way of Literature review with specific focus on the Act, the hiccups militating against the effective protection of the environment and discovered among others that non-enforcement of the provisions of the Act by the environmental agencies is a thorn in the flesh of the Act. It is recommended that environmental stakeholders should go back to the drawing board so as to ascertain the reasons for non enforcement of the provision v of the A ct..