The Federal Government has solicited the co-operation of local communities to enhance the disaster risk reduction plan on dangers caused by pipeline vandalism in the country.
Mr Peter Idabor, the Director-General, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) NOSDRA, stated this Tuesday in his keynote address during the sensitization of communities on dangers caused by pipeline vandalism in Uyo.
Idabor, who was represented by Mr Simon Ugbe, the Director of Finance and Accounts in the agency, said the agency plans to expand the scope of disaster risk reduction project to communities in the Niger Delta.
He said the pilot scheme of the disaster risk reduction plan carried out in Rivers and Bayelsa between 2014 and 2015 recorded a huge success.
According to him, the government would continue with the Sensitization, Engagement and Empowerment of stakeholders to curb pipeline vandalism leading to oil spills that destroy the environment.
The director-general urged stakeholders in oil producing communities to see oil pipelines passing through their communities as their project, stressing the need for them to protect the pipelines and the environment.
“The agency is dedicated to expanding the scope of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) project to the communities of the Niger Delta and driving it through the strategy that is the continuous Sensitisation, Engagement and Empowerment of stakeholders.
“We must note that mitigation of disasters by promoting collaboration with our local communities will enhance sustainable development and reduce level of poverty in the Niger Delta region,” Idabor said.
He said that the DRR in collaboration with stakeholders would be community driven, community implemented, community monitored and community evaluated project to ensure responsibility and protection of the immediate environment.
The Director-general explained that the DRR plan was developed by the agency to create and sustain an interface with stakeholders to curb pipeline vandalism in the country.
“While it is true that crude oil is spilled into the environment due to equipment failure, pipeline vandalism by unscrupulous elements also contributes largely to the menace resulting in adverse socio-economic, health and environmental conditions,” he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, Dr Iniobong Essien, the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources in Akwa Ibom, called on communities to discourage environmental pollution and ecosystem damage caused by oil spills.
Essien said that the community based disaster risk management strengthens stakeholders’ engagement and helps to achieve peaceful co-existence between host communities and oil producing companies.
He said that the DRR was a complete departure from the past where communities affected by oil spills were not participants in its remediation programmes.
The commissioner urged the communities, stakeholders to embrace the DRR plan as it would help to unite the communities in understanding the risks and in preparedness, instigation and prevention actions against pipeline vandalism.
“The programme hopes to integrate mainstream active community engagement into the NOSDRA plan for oil spill management in Nigeria with a view to achieving community-driven and community-sustained system environment protection and management,” Essien said.
The commissioner assured that government would continue to monitor to ensuring compliance with environmental laws and working in partnership with other relevant agencies for clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
