The Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN) in the Southwest zone has kicked against the appointment of the chairman and members of the board by the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi.
The Association said that Abdullahi appointed Mr. Tonye Longjohn and Alhaji Ahmed Tijani as Chairman and member of the board of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCN) respectively, in error considering the Council Act, Section 11 of 2002.
A communique issued at the end of the southwest meeting signed by the President, Dr. Tope Akinwumi, representatives of the Elder’s Forum, Prof. Sunday Ojewale, Dr Samuel Akingbehin, and Barrister Rotimi Adeyemi, urged the Minister to dissolve the board before the exit of the current administration.
“We received with great concern the illegality of the recently constituted Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCN) Board by the Minister of Environment, Hon. Mohammed Abdullahi, and opined that he acted per in curia to constitute the EHCN Board.
“The constitution was against the Act 11 of 2002 of the Council. The constitution stated that Chairman shall be an Environmental Health Officer and be qualified for not less than ten years among others but the law was not considered.”
The meeting noted that the EHCN’s Board as presently constituted by the Minister of Environment, Hon. Mohammed Abdullahi, is illegal. It violates the provisions of Acts 11 of 2002 that established the Council.
“The Minister of Environment, Hon. Mohammed Abdullahi should immediately inform the President to dissolve the EHCN Board, in view of the unpardonable standing on the Act 11 of 2002 that established the Council.
“The South West EHOAN is conscious of the President’s limited time in Office before handing over to the incoming administration notwithstanding, the Presidency should please correct this error and that this mistake/same should never be referred to in future as ever occurred or made.”