Godwin Daramola, a Nigerian legal scholar currently residing in the UK, has made an appeal for stringent legislation to ensure corporate accountability for the impacts of corporations on the environment and society in Nigeria.
Daramola, who is a doctoral researcher and teaching fellow in law at the University of Hull, contended that voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives have not been able to cope with the problems of many communities that produce oil.
In his view, both environmental conservation and community development should no longer rely on the benevolence of corporations but on legally binding agreements.
He observed that even after decades of corporate giving and community initiatives, many host communities continue to suffer from environmental degradation, oil spills, gas flaring, and poor socio-economic conditions.
“Sustainable change is made possible by sustainable business practices facilitated by the existence of strong legislation, regulatory control and corporate accountability,” Daramola argued.
Sustainability, according to him, should be regarded not as an ethical duty but as a legal obligation. There is need for mandatory actions to ensure that oil corporations conduct environmental restoration, interact with host communities, and achieve tangible developmental impact.
The oil and gas sector in Nigeria has attracted criticisms for the past decades due to environmental pollution and negligence by the companies regarding the wellbeing of communities where the oil exploration is conducted. Although various changes in policies have been introduced over the years, there continue to be doubts regarding compliance with regulations.
According to Daramola, the establishment of effective legal frameworks will help companies to realize their role in addressing both environmental and socio-economic impacts of their activities.
The academic expert who holds a license to practice law in Nigeria and the UK carries out scholarly work in corporate governance, sustainability law, and environmental accountability.
Daramola argued that environmental justice, community interests, and corporate accountability should form the bedrock of oil and gas companies
