Senate amends Environmental Health Officers Act

 

The Nigeria Senate on Tuesday began amendment of Environmental Health Officers Act in order to professionalise the practice in view of its importance to environmental safety.The motion, which was sponsored by the Senate Leader Ali Ndume, stated that the Act which was last amended in 2002 was lacking in many areas and thus could not support the dynamism of the environment, stressing that if amended as envisaged, it will empower Environmental Health Officers and Sanitation Personnel to discharge their responsibilities professionally.
“A Bill for an Act to amend the Environmental Health Officers Act, 2002 and for other related matters,” Ndume submitted.

Ndume said the Bill which came under concurrence having been passed into law at the Federal House of Representatives sought for passage as it would intervene in decays being experience in the nation.
Senator Chukwuka Utazi, in his contribution, recalled that during Colonial days before independence, Health Officers were held in awe as they moved from place to place inspecting toilets in villages and Communities even as people were made to be conscious of cleaning their environment.

Shehu Sani (APC), Kaduna Central, on his part, submitted that the Act should create opportunity for the deployment of technologies.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, having read clause by clause of already passed version by the House of Representatives, put it to vote and was passed into law concurrently.

In his remark, Ekweremadu said, “a clean environment they say is a healthy environment,” while thanking Senators for their understanding.