By Sani Bala Karo
The environmental health profession in the country is set to witness a historic transformation following ongoing legislative efforts to establish the National Environmental Health Development Agency (NEHDA), a landmark initiative strongly aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
This was disclosed by the Registrar/CEO of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), Sanitarian Dr. Yakubu Baba Mohammad, during a strategic engagement with the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Association of Nigeria (EPHPAN) in his office in Abuja.
According to the registrar, the bill seeking the establishment of NEHDA has successfully scaled through the House of Representatives and is currently awaiting transmission to the Senate for final deliberation and passage.
Dr. Mohammad described the establishment of the proposed agency as a major milestone that would reposition environmental health practice in Nigeria, strengthen institutional frameworks, enhance professional regulation, and improve the nation’s capacity to address emerging public health and environmental challenges.
He noted that the body would serve as a strategic platform for advancing environmental sanitation, disease prevention, waste management, occupational health, food safety, pollution control, and other critical public health interventions necessary for national development.
The registrar further emphasized that the establishment of the agency would create broader opportunities for professional specialization, capacity building, research, policy implementation, and employment generation within the environmental health ecosystem.
Present during the meeting was the Director-General/CEO, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Fatima Zuntu, who was recently appointed by President Tinubu.
Her presence at the meeting further demonstrated the growing collaboration among critical institutions working toward strengthening public health systems and environmental governance in Nigeria.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Zuntu commended the leadership of EHCON and EPHPAN for their commitment to advancing environmental health practice and fostering inter-agency collaboration for the protection of public health and the environment.
On their part, members of the National Executive Council of EPHPAN who attended the meeting applauded the visionary leadership of the registrar, describing the proposed agency as timely and capable of transforming environmental health profession and improving service delivery across the country.
Stakeholders at the meeting expressed optimism that the Senate would give the bill accelerated consideration in the national interest, noting that the establishment of NEHDA ould significantly strengthen Nigeria’s public health architecture and contribute meaningfully to sustainable national development.
The meeting also reinforced the commitment of professional bodies, regulatory institutions, and government agencies toward building a healthier, cleaner, safer, and more environmentally sustainable Nigeria.
