CIAMA DG CALLS FOR WATER QUALITY AND POLLUTION CONTROL

The release into the environment of contaminants from human and animal wastes, manufacturing, agricultural, mining, construction and oil and gas activities need to be drastically reduced in order to save lives and the environment.

Speaking at a workshop organized on Water Treatment and Pollution Control organized by the College of Production & Operation Management (COPOM) for Managers and Supervisors in Lagos recently, Director General, The Certified Institute of Applied Management And Administration-CIAMA, Dr. Olaniyi Opanuga remarked that water is an indispensable need of humanity, yet a great burden if not properly managed.

“Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality provides mandatory limits regarding constituents as well as the need for sanitation, hygiene and avoidance of contaminants” he explained.

“Production of water under unsanitary conditions and without proper treatment in line with standards for water quality is unlawful and immoral”. The Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) for portable water and natural mineral water developed by Standards organization of Nigerian (SON), National Guidelines and Standards for water quality in Nigeria, developed by the Federal Ministry of Environment, the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for water quality in Nigeria and the requirements for production of packaged water by the National Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) provide the benchmark for effective water treatment, water quality control and proper management of drinking water systems in the country” he said.

“There is the environmental health issue associated with water in Nigeria which is the use of plastic at the production end and its disposal at the consumption end. What are the health and environmental agencies doing? What is the National Environmental Standards And Regulation Enforcement Agency(NESREA) doing about the nuisance caused by non-biodegradable plastic bottles and sachets littering the land and water bodies just the same on way indiscriminate use of herbicide  by farmers and the irresponsible spillage and dumping of wastes by oil companies are posing grave danger to public health and our ecosystems?”