The Federal Government has announced plans to meet with stakeholders in Ogoniland on the ongoing clean-up exercise.
According to FG, the meeting is scheduled to get their assessment of how far the government has gone.
Disclosing this at the weekly ministerial press briefing organized by the Presidential Media Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor said plans are being made to put more stringent punishments for companies involved in oil spillage in the country.
According to her, the ministry will engage other relevant government agencies to achieve its plans.
Ikeazor hinted that a bill is being worked out to amend the law establishing the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to build its capacity, giving it the needed momentum to act.
She said the operating company of the OML29 in Nembe, Bayelsa State, has blamed the most recent oil spillage in the country on sabotage by the locals.
The minister, however, announced that the Santa Barbara spillage has been brought under control with necessary personnel and equipment deployed to begin recovery and remediation efforts.
Ikeazor stressed the need to end artisanal refineries noting that it has continued to cause pollution in the Niger Delta.
Speaking further, she expressed worry over the high price of cooking gas which she said has resulted in the cutting down trees to cook their food.
“I am extremely worried because the rate of cutting down trees has increased,” she expressed.
