Committee calls for immediate action on oil spill remediation

The Senate Committee on Oil and Gas Host Community has raised an alarm on the devastating impact of oil spills in the Niger Delta region, calling for immediate action to address the environmental disaster.

The committee observed that the Niger Delta, which accounts for approximately 90 per cent of Nigeria’s exports and 75 per cent of the consolidated budgetary revenue, is facing severe environmental degradation due to oil spills.

Chairman of the Committee, Benson Agadaga, said the region, consisting of nine states, is the third largest wetland in the world and home to over 40 ethnic groups, needs urgent cleanup, explaining, they are on oversight duties on ongoing cleanup sites in Ogoniland, coordinated by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

He stated that there is an urgent need for oil companies and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to always respond swiftly to pollution incidents whenever they occur in the region to save lives and properties.

“The slow pace of the Ogoni cleanup project is unacceptable. We cannot afford to wait 10 to 20 years for remediation. International standards dictate that pollution must be addressed immediately to prevent further environmental damage,” Agadaga added.

The Committee also inspected the ongoing Center for Environmental Education and Research (CEER), which aimed to specialise in environmental studies, pollution, and pollution control, fulfilling the vision of the Niger Delta forefathers who fought for the region.

Also, speaking, the Committee’s member, Gbenga Daniel reflected on the suffering endured by local communities due to oil extraction, saying, the people of this area have suffered devastation of air, land and water pollution.

“We need expanded societal responsibility initiatives and increased funding to compensate affected populations,” Daniel said.

He however praised the ongoing water projects and hospitals being built by the Federal government through HYPREP, citing them as examples of compensation for those affected by oil pollution.