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FG Asks for Improved Environmental Regulatory Framework
FG Asks for Improved Environmental Regulatory Framework
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has asked the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and other stakeholders to improve on environmental regulatory framework and use of cleaner technologies for sustainable future.
Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako gave the charge on Thursday at the Maiden Environmental Performance Award for the Oil and Gas sector in Abuja.
The event was organised by NOSDRA in collaboration with the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), an NGO.
Salako identified effective environmental regulatory mechanism in the petroleum industry as essential for sustainable resource management, climate change mitigation, economic efficiency and accountability.
The minister said that such mechanism was also crucial for building public trust for operational social licencing, legal and international compliance.
He said that oil and gas was unarguably the world’s most vital, but most environmentally disruptive industry.
Salako, however, stressed the need for effective regulation of the sector to ensure that the benefits of oil and gas production were balanced.
He said: “Also, there is the need to protect the environment, maintain public health and contribute to national development on a sustainable manner.”
The minister said that the country had faced significant challenges and limitations in managing and responding to oil spills resulting in consequential land degradation prior to the establishment of NOSDRA in October 2006.
He said that the situation was characterised by a lack of cohesive policy, inefficient coordination among stakeholders and inadequate resources to effectively address oil spill incidents particularly in the Niger-Delta region.
“Nigeria is faced with a fragmented regulatory framework, inadequate preparedness and response, limited community engagement negative environmental and health impacts, adverse economic consequences, among others.
“Since the establishment of NOSDRA, it has been working in the area of spill preparedness, response, cleanup and remediation among others.
“Over the years, NOSDRA has remained unwavering in delivering on its mandate, responding to thousands of major and minor oil spills, ensuring that impacted communities are adequately compensated and remediated.
“Non-complying oil operators are taking to court to enforce compliance,” he said.
He added that environmental performance award serves as a multi-faceted tool aimed at driving change, promoting sustainability and acknowledging those that lead by example.
According to him, the award also addresses historical environmental goals; enhances community relations, boosts innovations and offers reputational requirement and investment.
The event was also an avenue to bestow the environmental sustainability performance award on oil, gas industry players by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN).
The Director-General of NOSDRA, Idris Musa, said that the awards are a testament to stakeholders’ collective commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation and pursuit of excellence within the oil and gas industry.
Musa said this at the maiden edition of the award for the Oil and Gas sector on Thursday in Abuja.
Some of the awardees are TotalEnergy, Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Agip oil while Akwa-Ibom received the best environmental-friendly state award.
He said that the award was to recognise the organisation with the best environmental performance for 2022 and 2023.
Musa said that the performance award was conceived to highlight and reward those that have taken bold steps to address environmental challenges.
“It is to showcase significant progress we can achieve when we commit to responsible practices. This initiative also reflects our understanding of the path to sustainability and the need to work together.
” It requires collaboration among industry operators, regulatory bodies, local communities and international partners, “he said
Musa said that by sharing best practices and leveraging on new technologies among others, the nation could drive the transformative change needed to secure a sustainable future for the oil and gas industry.
He said that NOSDRA plays a crucial role in safeguarding the environment from the potential devastations arising from the operations of the oil and gas industry.
Musa explained that 73 companies were assessed from 2022 to 2023 based on performance variables, which included submission of incident reporting forms
Other variables are the inventory of spill response equipment stockpiles as a function of preparedness for response.
He said the award is grouped into four categories which included the best environmental performance for both local and international oil companies.
Others are most environmentally-friendly states as well as awards for the 2019 and 2020 Environmental Performance Index carried out by SDN.
Country Director, SDN, Florence IbokAbasi, said the organisation’s collaboration with NOSDRA was to encourage improved environmental performance in the oil and gas sector.
She advocated for innovation and technical initiatives that would result in reduced oil spills and gas flare in the industry.
IbokAbasi identified some of the challenges in the industry as oil theft, sabotage and insecurity.
She said SDN was collaborating with relevant stakeholders including government agencies, and communities to ensure improved pollution reporting and a safer environment.
Chairman/Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria/Mid-Africa Business Unit, Jim Swartz, a recipient of the award, said the organisation has been marked by continuous improvement, innovations and collaboration.
He was represented by Sam Daibo, Director, Government Affairs, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA).
“As we celebrate this environmental protection award, we re-echo our commitment to the partnership with NOSDRA and other stakeholders.
“The partnership is enhancing good environmental practices. Together we can build a sustainable future for Nigeria,“he said.
FG Asks for Improved Environmental Regulatory Framework
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
By: Michael Mike
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Yemisi Asagbra debunked some allegations level against the agency by some non governmental organisations (NGOs) concerning negligence and compromise.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Asagbra said: “The negative statements circulating are misleading and lack credible scientific backing. The agency asks these organisations to present verifiable scientific evidence for their claims and we relies on sound scientific research and internationally recognized protocols to make informed decisions. It is part of the Cartagena Protocol with over 180 parties, our mandate is to protect the health of Nigerians and the environment. It will not compromise on this as it is an agency of integrity.
She added that: “The agency is transparent and accountable in its operations. It invites review of its processes and rigorous evaluations of GMO products. We are confident in our procedures that it’s meet global standards and it is a leader in effective regulation in Africa”.
On the source of the allegations, she said “over the years they have been advocating to have their presence in the board where all these products coming will be thoroughly Investigated, but it hasn’t been given. Most times we rely on the information given by Nigeria Custom Service to furnish them with needed information, which most time is not always easy if they have other things doing.
The Head planning, research and statistics National Biosafety Management Agency Mrs. Bello Scholastica said the agency is concerned with safety to our health and safety to our environment.
She further reiterated that what NBMA stands for is to establish first regulation from identification of the gene of interest, “of what you are interested in, from then till commercialization, and even after commercialization, they still follow suit to make sure that the approvals they gave hasn’t caused any harm, or those that were given approval to that they stay put to what they were asked to do”.
She further explained that the agency has put in effort to promote environmental conservation and biosafety in Nigeria.
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
By: Michael Mike
The House of Representatives has revealed that it is interested in the passage of the Human Rights Defenders Bill into law, saying that the bill has already passed the first reading and will soon be subjected to second reading.
The House also promised to take the necessary steps to ensure an improvement in the 2025 budget of the NHRC, pointing out that the N5 billion approved for it in the 2024 budget is inadequate considering the myriad of human rights violations in the country.
The Chairman House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Abiola Makinde made this disclosure during the oversight visit of Committee to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The Chairman, who was represented at the occasion by his Deputy, Hon. Mudashiru Lukeman assured the NHRC that the Committee would continue to advance the course of human rights in Nigeria by ensuring that the House of Representatives passes critical bills on human rights issues as well as makes adequate budgetary provisions to ease the work of the Commission.
Makinde also stated that in a bid to improve some aspects of Civil and Political Rights, the House of Representatives had ensured the establishment of human rights desks in all police formations and Headquarters across the 36 States of the Federation.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu who received the lawmakers with his management staff told the Human Rights Committee that the Commission relies heavily on them for the enactment of human rights friendly laws and enhanced budgetary provisions to discharge it broad mandate of promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights in the country.
He used the opportunity to commend the legislators for their role in the amendment of the NHRC Act 2010 as well as the support of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila in the payment of compensation to victims of human rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
He equally informed the legislators who were on oversight visit about the recent report released by the Commission following the findings of the Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter-Insurgency Operations in the North East Nigeria , which he noted has saved the country from possible invitation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He noted that the aforementioned wide spread allegations of human rights infractions against some government institutions could result in the ICC extending invitations to some of the leaders to respond to the allegations, but the Commission has done the needful in compliance with the international principles of omplementarity.
He thanked the Committee for promising to improve the budgetary allocation of the Commission in the 2025 fiscal year.
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
FG Confirms Arrest of Simon Ekpa
By: Michael Mike
The arrest of Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa in Finland has been confirmed by the federal government.
A statement on Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the proscribed Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB), was arrested by Finnish authorities on Thursday.
According to the statement, Ekpa was
charged with inciting terrorism and promoting violence.
The Finnish District Court of
Päijät-Häme ruled to detain him on probable cause for publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.
The Finnish authorities alleged that Mr. Ekpa used social media platforms to spread
separatist propaganda, incite violence and encourage illegal actions, which had caused
significant disruptions in the South-East of Nigeria. Finnish investigators had also linked
him to incidents of violence in Nigeria, which were believed to had been fueled by his
online activities.
The statement said “the arrest of Mr. Simon Njoku Ekpa follows sustained diplomatic
pressure by the Nigerian government on Finland, to take action against his activities,
which were linked to violence and instability in the South-East of Nigeria. The request
for action featured during high level engagements between countries.”
The Ministry stated that the arrest of Ekpa, is a significant development in addressing the activities of IPOB, and also neutralizing the influence of transnational actors and “their impact on our national security.”
The Ministry promised to continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide further updates as the case progresses.
FG Confirms Arrest of Simon Ekpa
NBMA Debunks Allegations of Negligence, Compromise Against It
Nigerian lawyers Ask to Collaborate with Chinese Colleagues in Law Relating to Investment and Dispute Resolution
House of Reps Assures on Passage of Human Rights Defenders Bill
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