An Appraisal of the Role of Legislation in Environmental Health Practice
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the role of legislation in environmental health practice in Nigeria
- To ascertain the challenges of environmental health practice in Nigeria
- To ascertain the law in environmental health practice in Nigeria.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS IN NIGERIA
In some countries, legislations protecting the environment are embodied under a code of what can be referred to as umbrella legislation. For many others, national environmental legislation had to be made after the United Nations Environment Conference in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil, 1992.
In Nigeria, environmental protection provisions are generally embedded in different pieces of legislation (pre and post independence) and not under one main legislation (Babsal and Co., 1998). Some of these include Forestry Regulations 1943, Forestry Law (Exclusion) Notice 1943, The Forestry law of 1963, The Water Resources Control Law 1963, Wild Animals Law, 1963, Endangered Species Act 1985, Harmful Waste (Special Provisions etc) Degree of 1988 (Ayuba, 2005)..
The 1980s may be said to be the starting decade of environmental consciousness in Nigeria. The Federal Military Government which came to power between December 1983 to August 1985, was very vocal about environmental protection. That Government made maximum use of the media to instill a strong environmental consciousness in the minds of Nigerians. The Federal Military Government set the pace with massive environmental propaganda while the State military Governors had to implement the policy guidelines by translating propaganda into legal reality. The States thus look the initiative to enact environmental laws (Uchegbu, 1988).
Following the Koko Port Toxic dumping incident in June 1988, Nigerians became seriously aware of the need to protect their environment through proper law, coordinated policies and central authority (Idowu, 2000). Thus the Federal Environmental Protection Agency of Nigeria (FEPA) was created by Decree 58 of December 30, 1988, with the statutory responsibility for the protection and development of the environment in general. Since the establishment of FEPA, some legislations, many guidelines and regulations have been passed to control pollution, hazardous wastes, and effluents and to put development projects under environmental impact assessments. After the establishment of FEPA, State governments follow suit and created State Environmental Protection Agencies (SEPAs). For example, the Katsina State Environmental Protection Agency (KATSEPA) was established in February, 1994 and backed up by Edict No. 4 of 1994 in December of the same year. The SEPAs are responsible for designing policies on activities affecting the environment in their states as well as liaise with federal and state ministries, local government councils, statutory bodies and research agencies on matters and facilities relating to the environment and environmental protection.
Besides the federal environmental legislations that cover the whole country, State governments also make legislations to cater for their environmental problems and peculiarities. For example some State governments have recently reintroduced the compulsory monthly environmental sanitation exercise. These states are Lagos, Oyo, Ebonyi, Kano and Kebbi. The reintroduction was made possible by passing the environmental sanitation laws through the various State legislatures.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitutes of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried to examine an appraisal of the role of legislation in environmental health practice in Nigeria. Law makers in National assembly, Abuja form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain an appraisal of the role of legislation in environmental health practice in Nigeria. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of a role of legislation in environmental health practice in Nigeria
Summary
This study was on an appraisal of the role of legislation in environmental health practice in Nigeria. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the role of legislation in environmental health practice in Nigeria, to ascertain the challenges of environmental health practice in Nigeria and to ascertain the law in environmental health practice in Nigeria. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from Nigeria law makers in National assembly Abuja. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
As a result of that incident, local legislation was enacted while international treaties were adopted or ratified. We have analyzed these laws and their efficacy in the light of the increasing exposure of the Nigerian environment to toxic waste exposure, and have come to the conclusion that these legislative efforts need some fine-tuning in order to meet the challenges posed two decades after Koko. In furtherance to the exercise, we have made recommendations to enhance the success of these efforts, these existing laws, borrowing heavily from the trends in developed states. Since toxic waste threatens the long-term sustenance of man and the surrounding environment, protection against toxic waste exposure, development efforts must take into account these considerations protections against toxic waste exposure.
Recommendation
- i) A body of environmental laws should be harmonized and codified under a single heading called “The Environmental Laws of Nigeria”. This will allow better study and understanding of the laws.
- ii) There should be strict enforcement of environmental laws throughout the country and environmental police should be trained to enforce environmental laws.
- Governments at all levels should fight against indiscipline among the people, so that they obey laws enacted to protect the environment for the common benefit of the present and future generations.
- ) Government should also act boldly in the fight against corruption which has become a menace affecting all facets of life including laws meant to protect the environment
References
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