“A bill to amend the law establishing the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to build its capacity and give it “the needed teeth to bite” is underway”
Following a massive oil spillage in Nembe, Bayelsa State, which affected about 45 communities, the Federal Government says it will henceforth impose some sanctions on erring companies in the country.
To this end, a bill to amend the law establishing the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to build its capacity and give it “the needed teeth to bite” is underway.
Also, relevant government agencies are being engaged for appropriate sanctions.
Environment Minister, Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, disclosed this on Thursday at the weekly ministerial press briefing organized by the Presidential Media Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to her, company operating OML29 in Nembe had blamed the oil spillage on sabotage by some unscrupulous people.
Ikeazor, however, said the Santa Barbara spillage had been brought under control with appropriate personnel and equipment deployed for recovery and remediation efforts.
On artisanal refineries, she said they have continued to cause pollution in the Niger Delta and therefore stressed the need to put an end to them.
On pollution especially from smoke, the minister lamented the high rate of deaths from smoke especially among women in the country, the highest in the world.
Also on gas flaring, Ikeazor said Nigeria could not claim to be committed to zero emission and still be flaring gas.
“Something must be done about the ongoing gas flaring.”
Details later…
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