FENRAD slams Abia State’s proposed bill, calls it anti-people

Stanley Ihedigbo

Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) expresses grave concern and unequivocal opposition to the proposed legislation titled “A Bill for a Law to Establish the Abia State Polluters Pay Principle and Extended Producer Responsibilities and for Other Matters Connected Therewith.”

According to the Executive Director of the group, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, after a critical review of the bill, FENRAD finds it regressive, ambiguous, and contrary to the principles of environmental justice and public interest it purports to uphold.

“While we recognize the importance of environmental accountability and the global shift towards extended producer responsibility (EPR) and polluter-pays mechanisms as frameworks for sustainable waste management, the current bill — in both its design and intent — lacks transparency, public participation, and clarity. More disturbingly, it appears tailored to transfer the economic burden of environmental remediation and waste management from major industrial polluters to ordinary citizens and vulnerable populations who are often victims, not perpetrators, of environmental degradation.

“Key concerns with the bill are, it fails to adequately define who qualifies as a “polluter” or “producer.” In its current form, it leaves too much room for arbitrary interpretation and application, which could unjustly penalize small businesses and low-income communities. A bill of such socio-economic and environmental impact must be preceded by public consultations and stakeholder engagements. To our knowledge, no town hall meetings, environmental impact assessments, or civil society consultations were held before the drafting or tabling of this bill.

“Rather than targeting industrial polluters, extractive companies, and major producers whose operations lead to environmental degradation, the bill risks criminalizing the informal sector and everyday waste generators, particularly in underserved communities.
Abia State currently lacks the robust waste management infrastructure and institutional oversight required to enforce an Extended Producer Responsibility regime effectively. Without such systems in place, the bill may become a tool for arbitrary taxation or harassment by enforcement agencies. And the bill, if passed into law, will disproportionately affect poor and marginalized groups, potentially exacerbating inequality and undermining ongoing efforts to promote inclusive environmental governance in the state,” he stated.

FENRAD calls on the Abia State House of Assembly to immediately withdraw the bill in its current form.

“We urge the lawmakers to adopt a people-centered, participatory approach to environmental legislation by convening public hearings and multi-stakeholder consultations involving environmental groups, local communities, informal sector representatives, and legal experts. Rewriting the bill to reflect clear, just, and enforceable guidelines in line with national and international environmental standards.

Ensuring that any policy on environmental accountability targets actual corporate polluters and not those at the margins of society. Environmental justice must be anchored in equity, fairness, and sustainability. Laws that fail to reflect these principles risk becoming instruments of oppression rather than tools for environmental protection,” he explained.

FENRAD remains committed to advancing environmental rights and will continue to monitor and engage in the legislative processes that impact ecological and human well-being in Abia State and beyond.