President Bola Tinubu has received a formal invitation to visit the Niger Delta region to witness firsthand the profound impact of oil spillages on its ecosystem.
During a press conference held in Abuja on Friday addressing the urgent need for environmental remediation in the Niger Delta, the Coalition for a Cleaned Niger Delta (CCND), comprising civil society organizations and stakeholders, emphasized that approximately one billion liters of crude oil equivalent have been discharged into the Niger Delta ecosystem, representing the toll borne by communities in exchange for Nigeria’s oil production.
Led by Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), and Otive Igbuzor, Founding Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), the coalition underscored the decades-long environmental degradation plaguing the Niger Delta. They highlighted the region’s status as one of the most severely polluted oil and gas regions globally.
Citing data from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the coalition revealed alarming figures of oil spills over a 17-year period, amounting to hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil. They stressed that these figures likely underestimate the true extent of environmental damage due to underreported incidents and suppressed estimates by oil operators.
The coalition extended an invitation to President Tinubu, urging him to accompany relevant ministers, regulators, and possibly the National Security Adviser on a visit to heavily affected areas in the Niger Delta, such as Polobubo, Ogulagha, Ibeno, Mbo, Ikot Ada Udo, Awoye, Bille, Obagi, Rumuekpe, Gbarain/Ekpetiama, Nembe, Aghoro, and Otuabagi.
In light of global environmental concerns and Nigeria’s commitments to international treaties and conventions, the coalition emphasized the urgency of addressing the ecological crisis in the Niger Delta. They cited examples of countries like Norway, which effectively balance oil production with environmental conservation.
The coalition recommended concrete actions to address the environmental crisis, including the establishment of a Niger Delta Environmental Remediation Programme and Trust Fund, adoption of national principles on divestment and decommissioning, and strategies to combat oil theft and asset vandalism. They proposed funding mechanisms involving operators, joint venture partners, penalties for gas flaring, existing ecological funds, and international resources.
In conclusion, the coalition called for decisive action from President Tinubu to address the longstanding environmental injustice in the Niger Delta, emphasizing the imperative of sustainable development and environmental protection in Nigeria.
