Speaker Abbas Warns Against Hasty Plastic Ban in Nigeria

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas of the House of Representatives cautioned against a hasty ban on single-use plastic products, stating that such a move must consider job protection and the stability of industries reliant on plastic materials. Abbas delivered this warning in Abuja during the opening of a public hearing organized by the House of Representatives' ad hoc committee, which is preparing a legislative framework for a single-use plastic ban in Nigeria.

He highlighted the severe plastic waste crisis affecting the country, which threatens to choke drainage systems, degrade soil quality, and harm marine life along the Niger Delta and Atlantic coastline. Abbas emphasized that the transition to a plastic ban must be well-planned to avoid disrupting livelihoods.

Terseer Ugbor, the chairman of the ad hoc committee, stated that the committee aims to develop a comprehensive legislative framework that balances environmental protection with economic implications.