Section 8: The Department of Environment

8. The Department of Environment (1) There shall be within the Ministry for the purposes of this Act a Department of Environment. (2) The Department shall be administered by a Director of Environment who shall— (a) be a public officer; (b) be appointed by the Public Service Commission; (c) be responsible for the control, operation and management of the day-to-day business of the Department; (d) carry out the duties and functions provided under this Act, and such other assignments given to him by the Minister; (e) be responsible to the Permanent Secretary for the proper discharge of his functions under this Act and for the implementation of such policies as may be determined. (3) There shall be appointed at the Department such officers as may be necessary for the proper discharge of the functions and duties of the Director under this Act. (4) The officers of the Department shall be public officers and shall be under the administrative control of the Director. (4A) There shall be a National Environmental Laboratory which shall be a Division of the Department. (5) (a) The Director may designate any officer of the Department as authorised officer. (b) The authorised officer shall have such duties and powers as may be conferred by this Act. (6) Subject to subsection (7), the Director may in writing authorise an officer of a local authority to exercise the powers vested in an authorised officer under this Act. E12 – 9 [Issue 2] Environment Protection Act (7) No officer of a local authority shall be authorised to issue or to revoke a prohibition notice. [S. 8 amended by s. 4 of Act 6 of 2008 w.e.f. 15 July 2008.]