Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi state has on Monday commissioned the first environmental science laboratory in the state, designed to test 15 environmental core components.
Commissioning the project at the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency, BASEPA headquarters, the governor said modern environmental science facility will serve as a reference centre for testing the quality of core environmental components which include water, soil and plants.
According to him, the laboratory will also serve as a one-stop-solution centre for analysing and safe custody of samples gathered from the environmental scan.
Governor Bala Mohammed directed BASEPA to conduct environmental scan for the state to highlight both existing and anticipated environmental problems across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
The governor opined that the move was to identify vulnerable groups, measure the magnitude of the problems, proffer solutions in accordance with the Best Management Practices as well as provide costs estimates for implementation of the proffered solutions.
” I am happy to inform you that, the sophistication associated with the installed capacity in the laboratory allows for a test of a minimum of 15 parameters of each of the core environmental components listed above.”
“This, is but a platform for enriching lives in the context of a well-protected environment hence, the aspiration of every progressing society. We do everything within the context of the environment”, the governor stated.
The governor who argued that no sustainable development could be achieved without being mindful of the environment, said his administration is not only safeguarding the environment, but also improving it for future generation.
Governor Bala Mohammed who recalled that, the administration had inherited unwholesome environment from the previous administration, said so far, the state government has recorded gigantic improvement in waste management through construction of modern and durable waste collection centres.
“It is strong fact that makes environment our priority.
Government knowing fully well the need for evidence and empirical data in dealing with emerging environmental problems, we join the global trend of responding to issues based on scientific facts.”
The governor said the state government is currently formulating favourable policies that will clearly outline and inform the citizens of the state about their roles and responsibilities in ensuring clean environment.
He said the draft of Bauchi State Waste and Pest Management Policy which is currently under review by relevant stakeholders and recent directives for environmental sanitation exercise in the entire state are parts of effort to achieve clean environment.
The governor was also conferred an award of excellence “Clean-Up Nigeria”, which rated the State as the cleanest in the north east.
The governor who expressed gratitude to the organisation for the honour, also assured that his administration will sustain the development