By Dayo Benson

Absence of electronic wastes laws and regulatory frame work in West Africa have been attributed to the indiscriminate dumping 0f e-wastes in the subregion. This was the view of experts who spoke at a Round Table on E-waste Regulation in West Africa organised by the Nigerian Institute 0f Advanced Legal Studies NIALS, University of Lagos Campus.

Vice chairman, NBA Ikeja branch, Barr. Lateef Abdulsalam, members, Barr. Oludare Akande, Barr. Adekunle Ajasa, Mrs Maimuna Eseigne and Barr, Wahab Shitu, during NBA Ikeja branch session for Late Bamidele Aturu, held at NBA Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos. Photo Lamidi Bamidele

In his introductory speech, NIALS Director General, Prof.  Adedeji Adekunle, represented by Director of studies Prof. Mrs  Animi Awah, said used electrical and electronic equipment which were valuable to socio-economic development also brought about large volumes of electronic waste popularly called e-waste.

According to him “used electrical and electronic eqipment although valuable to socio-economic development as some businesses including cybercafes and educational institutions depend on imported second hand product for their activities,  this development however has brought about large volumes of electronic waste popularly called (E-waste)  or Waste Electrical and electronic Equipment (WEEE) “

He also said E- waste is the fastest growing sector of the municipal waste stream pointing out that its improper handling could be harmful to the environment and human health due to its toxic components. He stated that  e-waste comprises 5% of the total solid waste stream worlwide but that there seems to be weak enforcement of the law  applicable to e-waste disposal in West Africa.

“There seems to be weak enforcement of the law applicable to the disposal and the recycling of e-waste in West African countries” He added.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo,  of Basel Convention Co-coordinating Centre,  University of Ibadan  who discovered the Toxic waste dump in Koko,  Delta State in 1988 noted that most of the imported second hand computers were almost at the end of their life cycle adding that burnt copper wire from such computers could cause cancer.  He pointed out that electronic waste would become hazardous when the components were broken down.  He however observed that absence of e-waste law in Africa was responsible for its dumping in the continent

“The only law in Nigeria regulating e-waste is Decree 42 of 1988. Nigeria has ratified Basel convention on e-waste but it has not been domesticated,” He said. In his paper titled “E-waste Regulation in West Africa:  The Need for a Coherent Approach “, Director of research  NIALS Prof. Lanre Fagbohun, said reduced prices of electronic devices because of competition  and shorter life span were responsible for large quantity of e-waste in the country. Adding that “electronics which are once trendy are now toxic”

According to him, East and South African countries were doing better in e-waste management than West African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’voire, Liberia and Benin which were porous to e-waste dumping because of their weak regulations. In his own paper titled, “Best Practices on E-Waste Management: A Comparative Analysis” Dr Emmanuel Okon, a Senior Research Fellow and Head, Department of International Law, NIALS, called for implementation and enforcement of E-Waste, saying it constitutes a major environmental and health problem.

Speaking on the topic, “E-Waste in West Africa: Issues, Challenges and Solutions” Dr. Oluwatoyin Adejonwo-Osho of the Faculty Of Law, UNILAG, said E-waste posed a threat to human health and the environment.

“For example, in developed countries, despite the fact that the recycle facilities use state-of-the- art equipments and they operate in formal sectors, where guidelines and health and safety standards are implemented, there are still concerns and dangers attributed to the process,”she explained.