Rivers state government has called on International Oil Companies (IOCs) to maintain standards in oil operations in the Niger Delta region.
Governor Nyesom Wike stated this during a one day National Summit on oil spill response and management, organized by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) at Presidential Hotel, Portharcourt.
The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Environment, Professor Roseline Konya, said that most oil spillages in the region is caused by equipment failures, stressing that maintenance of pipelines is very crucial.
“This summit has come at the right time and I quite commend NOSDRA for the oil spill sensitization programme. Despite the effort by NOSDRA and Ministry of Environment, there is need to establish strategies for a review on the rapid response of oil spills in the region.
“Rivers State is the goose that lay the golden eggs. International oil companies should maintain operational standards in doing things in the state. Having oil in our soil should be a blessing and not a curse.”
Professor Konya urged oil host communities to stop encroaching on pipelines’ right of ways, adding that building on pipeline ways contribute to oil spillages.
Also speaking, Director General National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, Sir Peter Idabor, urged all stakeholders in the state to support NOSDRA in the oil spill sensitization and its related human health problems in the Niger Delta region.
“Oil waste management and oil spill exploration must be balanced. The spills have continued to have harmful impacts on human lives and have continued to affect the health system in the region.
” Given the prevalence of oil spill in the state, I, therefore, call on stakeholders in the oil sector to support NOSDRA in sensitizing the public on dangers of oil spill on the soil.”
