The Federal Government has declared that it will begin the process of reviewing the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) in order to mete out stiffer penalties to oil companies involved in oil spillage in the country.
The Minister of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor who made the declaration on Thursday at the weekly ministerial briefing at the State House, noted that a strong legal framework has become expedient to stop ongoing oil spills.
The Environment minister further revealed that the OML29 oil spill in Nembe, Bayelsa State has been brought under control while blaming the oil spillage on sabotage by the locals.
Minister of Environment, Ikeazor during the weekly ministerial briefing at the State House.
According to her, necessary personnel and equipment have been deployed to begin recovery and remediation efforts handled by NOSDRA, as the agency assures that a post-spill impact assessment will be concluded in one month.
Again, Ikeazor indicated that the government is working to create alternative livelihoods for local communities to put a halt to illegal activities, that lead to sabotage of oil.
Nigeria has the highest rate of smoke-induced death in the world, most of which are women according the environment ministry.
The government is hoping to reintroduce clean cookstove and the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cookstove initiative described as fundamental, to enabling a reversal of the deaths and protecting the nation’s biodiversity.
