Vehicular emission control starts August –FG

The National Vehicular Emission Control Programme, which is aimed at checking air pollution from automobile engines, will begin next month.

It was learnt that the NVECP, which was inaugurated about a year ago, would be jointly enforced by four agencies of the Federal Government namely: the Nigeria Police, Vehicle Inspection Office, Federal Road Safety Corps and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.

NESREA, which is the main agency behind the initiative, stated that the programme would help address the concern of vehicular emission caused by the increasing number of old automobiles that ply Nigerian roads.

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, NESREA, Dr. Lawrence Anukum, said the agency would spearhead the programme and noted that the Federal Government promulgated the National Environmental Control of Vehicular Emission Regulation of 2011 with the aim of controlling air pollution.

Anukum, who spoke to our correspondent during an interview in Abuja, explained that the programme was part of the implementation of NESREA’s regulation on vehicular emission and this was based on the Federal Government’s directive.

He noted that the first set of vehicular emission testing stations would start operating in the Federal Capital Territory within the next one month, adding that the programme would soon spread to other parts of the country.

The DG said, “Fifty testing stations will be involved in the initial run. But we need a critical mass before we start the pilot phase. The launch is coming up soon and when I say soon, it is maybe within the next one month.

“We have sent letters to those who have paid for the testing equipment. There is an equipment for testing diesel engine, another for testing petrol engine and the computer systems to work with them; a bar code is ready and a few other gadgets. 

We have involved the private sector in it. Many interest groups came with different proposals but we want the programme to be standardised.”

He noted that the agency had ensured that there was uniformity in the equipment used for the testing of vehicles, adding that NESREA had held meetings with the Police, VIO and FRSC officials.