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Ozone day: Nigeria records 100 percent compliance
Category: News Written by Tina A. Hassan
Nigeria has been acclaimed one of the developing countries to achieve 100 percent compliance of the Montreal Protocol of protecting the Ozone layer from harmful chemicals and substances that are gradually depleting its surface. Deputy Country Director of Programmes of the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) Jonthomas Hiemstra stated this at a media interactive session in Abuja yesterday to mark the 2010 International Day of Ozone.According to him, Nigeria has so far been able to reduce its injection of harmful chemicals present in refrigerants, detergents and other products known as Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) into the atmosphere and this has contributed to the gradual closing up of the ozone hole.
Minister of Environment John Odey said Nigeria has joined other developed and developing nations in “eliminating the production and consumption of CFCs, Halons and most Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) by January 2010.”
Represented by the acting Permanent Secretary, Eng. Bawuro Yahaya, Odey said over 200 Nigerian industries have received support from the UNDP and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment to produce ozone friendly product.
Also speaking, National Coordinator of Ozone Dr. David Bola Omotosho explained that in 2001, Nigeria’s consumption of ODS was 4,000 metric tons but the amount in 2010 is now at zero consumption and ‘the ozone hole is now shrinking and the efforts of Nigeria is inclusive in achieving that.”