……..NOSDRA accused of negligence
The Senator representing Rivers East in the Nigerian Senate, Senator, George Sekibo, has raised alarm that some federal security agents posted to secure some of the country’s national assets are now ‘feasting’ on the same national assets, and turned themselves into partners with criminal elements.
While commending the Rivers state government for taking the bold step to fish out the culprits among the security operatives in the state, he described clean environment is one of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy of the Nigerian State as provided in Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Sekibo who spoke while sponsoring a motion drawing the federal government to the presence of mass, black soot, which is affecting lives and habitat in the state, noted that the Constitution, within the context of its Social Order in Section 17(2)(d) admonished that exploitation of natural resources to the detriment of the citizens shall be prevented.
The Senator accused the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) of failing in its duties secure the resident of the state from the hazards of soot and other environmental challenges.
He recalled that in a bid to forestall an emergency from hazardous pollution that may arise due to oil and gas exploitation activities, the federal government set up the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) in 2006.
He listed the objectives of the agency to include: implementing the National Spill Contingency Plan for Nigeria; Responding to major or disastrous oil pollution; Identifying high risk areas for protection and clean up; and Establishing the mechanism to monitor and assist or where expedient direct the response, including the capability to mobilize the necessary resources to save lives, protect threatened environment, and clean up to the best practical extent of the impacted site.
According to him, Section 6 of the NOSDRA Act saddles the agency with the responsibility of carrying out surveillance, coordinating issues on oil spillage and associated pollution as well as implementing such plans as may be issued by the federal government.
He bemoaned the failure of NOSDRA to live up to its mandate, saying the agency has “not informed the nation of this occurring national epidemics.”
The Senate in a six-point resolution, urged the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to note that there is an impending environmental danger that is occurring in Rivers State and its environs orchestrated by miscreants who are engaged in illegal refining as well as looting national crude oil assets.
The chamber further urged the President to use his constitutional power to support the Government of Rivers state in combating these criminal activities and fishing out national economic saboteurs.
It mandated the Senate Committees on the Navy, Police Force, Interior and Army to carry out holistic investigation of these illegal activities with a view to ascertaining those involved in these dastardly acts and report within four weeks.
The Senate Committees on environment, petroleum upstream and primary health was mandated to visit Rivers State and to carryout assessment of the problem, and come up with solution.
By Chidi Ekpewerechi
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