The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed several buildings, including a hotel and shopping malls, in Plateau State for failing to comply with environmental requirements. The properties, located in Jos North and Jos South local government areas, are still under construction.
Despite multiple warnings and letters from NESREA, the property owners ignored the directives and continued their construction activities. Jude Appiah, NESREA’s Acting Director for North Central, identified the non-compliant buildings as the Commercial Development Hotel at Atiku Junction, Rayfield; Three Angels City Mall opposite the Olusegun Obasanjo Model School, Yakubu Gowon Way; Eclipse Nigeria Ltd on Lamingo Road; and Elzaks Design Shopping Mall at the Terminus area.
Abubakar Jibrin, Assistant Chief Engineer from NESREA’s headquarters in Abuja, led the enforcement team. He stated, “The facilities fell short of the environmental documentation requirements they were supposed to submit to our Agency. Despite multiple visits and issued letters with given deadlines, they failed to comply.”
Jibrin further explained, “These owners need to conduct an environmental audit and submit the necessary documents to our office. They will be sanctioned and fined. It’s easier to obey the law, but now they face fines and work disruptions.”
At the sealed sites, only a few laborers were present, and they could not provide information on the whereabouts of the property owners, contractors, or engineers.
