The House of Representatives Committee on Environment has criticized the low release of funds to the Ministry of Environment, saying it is slowing down efforts to tackle the country’s environmental challenges.
At the 2025 budget defense, the Committee Chairman, Julius Pondi, highlighted major issues such as deforestation, pollution, erosion, and climate change, which he said are affecting communities and the country’s overall development. He stressed that without enough funding, these problems will remain unresolved.
One major concern raised by Pondi was the exclusion of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) from the budget, even though 13 other professional bodies that were previously removed have been reinstated. He called on the Minister of Environment to work with the Committee to ensure EHCON is included again, noting its importance in managing public health and environmental safety.
Pondi also said the 2025 budget would focus on improving climate resilience, reducing pollution, increasing community awareness, and ensuring proper use of public funds. He reminded the Ministry that the Constitution requires transparency and accountability in the management of public money.
He pointed out that disasters like erosion, desertification, and flooding are making life harder for many Nigerians, especially in farming communities, and urged the Ministry to address these issues more effectively.
In response, the Minister of Environment, Abbas Balarabe Lawal, appealed for higher budget allocations, saying more resources are needed to achieve the Ministry’s goals. He shared some of the Ministry’s achievements in 2024, including the installation of 2,200 solar streetlights, 45 solar-powered boreholes, and 5kV solar systems in five educational institutions across Edo, Anambra, Kaduna, and Abuja.
The Committee said the budget review is a chance to identify what has been achieved, what went wrong, and what needs to be done differently. It urged the Ministry to submit clear plans for the 2025 budget to ensure better results and protect Nigeria’s environment.
