ESG: LASEPA Boss Advocates Sustainable Environmental Practices

Funmi Ogundare

The General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr Babatunde Ajayi, yesterday called on its accredited consultants to  support  the government  in delivering  a  safer , healthier  and sustainable environment through the  adoption of  Environment Social Governance (ESG) global model designed to tackle identified  environmental  challenges.

 Ajayi  made this call at a one-day capacity building training  for the consultants  across the state   to update their knowledge on the  current trends in addressing   global    climate change challenges  and other environmental problems  for sustainable  development .

The  training programme, a  partnership with the  Climate Transition Academy, was held at the STO Resource Center,  Central Business Development Area, Ikeja, Lagos.

He explained that the training of LASEPA accredited  consultants was necessary so as to update their knowledge  and increase  their capacities in the application of the global standard model in managing  environmental issues,  especially climate  change problem and it’s associated  green house gas emissions.

The general manager stated  that the  programme would also help to raise    awareness on  knowledge transfer and competence development of the agency’s accredited consultants with the overall objective  of improving public service delivery.

He  disclosed that his agency in the last three months of his administration, had sealed  about 250 organisations including industries, night clubs  and worship places for  noise pollution and other environmental infractions.

“ LASEPA  is embarking on a lot of reforms  geared towards  achieving a noiseless,  cleaner, safer Lagos that is  pollution free.

“We are committed to a new Lagos that is clean, safe and environmentally friendly,  where businesses thrive without hindrances to human  health,” he said.

He noted that his agency in achieving its ministerial mandate,  would strengthen its enforcement measures to ensure compliance with government regulations towards achieving a   cleaner and sustainable environment in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda of the State government.

In his  remarks, the  Executive Director, Carbon Limits Nigeria, Mr  James Ogunleye, who spoke on behalf of other facilitators explained that the programme would help to expose the consultants to, and  broaden  their  knowledge  on the current global practices in  sustainable environment.

He noted that there had been a great departure from the old practice of consultants  just having  knowledge of Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA), Environmental Audit Report (EAR) and Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA)  to qualify as a consultant.

He stated that the issue of climate change  and global warming effects and other global environmental issues had made it mandatory for environmental consultants to  be well informed and equipped with up to date  knowledge on the application of appropriate solution in tackling global  environmental problems.

“The training has provided a window of opportunity to the accredited consultants to  update  their knowledge  and get acquainted with the. current trends in  global best practices on sustainable environment, “ he said.