Experts Task Oil Firms, Regulators on Safer Methods of Oil Spill Remediation

A communiqué signed by Prof. Stella Williams and Alhaja Morufat Balogun, after a stakeholders’ workshop on ‘Clean the Spills: Going Green in the Niger Delta’, pointed out that that Nigeria has over 4,835 reported incidents of oil spills.

Adding that a significantly vast majority of the spills (about 1.89 million barrels out of 2.4 million barrels) occurred in the Niger Delta between 1976 and 1996), the experts encouraged NOSDRA to involve the relevant agencies and professional associations in her activities to make the region environmentally friendly.

The experts however urged a pro-active engagement of oil companies in sponsoring the adoption and utilisation of Kenaf in local entrepreneurship and farm activities as part of a holistic community engagement strategy beyond oil spill remediation.

They further recommended that the Kenaf Team should be supported to do a pilot study of the Project in the Niger Delta with the support of NOSDRA and Raw Materials Research & Development Council (RMRDC).

Besides, the policy makers at the Presidency, Governors, National Assembly and other relevant stakeholders were urged to ensure strict implementation of the technology.

The experts also calls for a review of relevant laws especially environmental, public health as well as Land Use Act as it affects oil spill in Nigeria, usage of Kenaf and ownership of land controversies in the country.

Oil Spill Response Groups should be inaugurated at the community level to work with the Kenaf Team

In other to ensure effective implementation of the Kenaf project, the experts recommended formation of three units, including: Growth, development and Management, development of Kenaf products and industrial utilization of Kenaf, oil spill and Environmental management unit.

They added that such a policy would generate employment for youths in the Niger Delta and provide alternative to vandalism and other unethical practices of the youths.

Source: OgoniNews