By Comfort Olayinka
The House of Representatives joint Committees on Environment, Climate Change and Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream has on Wednesday quizzed Director General of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr. Idris Musa on the utilisation of over $1.48 billion contributed by oil companies and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) for Ogoniland Clean up project, nine years after.
Recall that representative from Ondo state on Tuesday alleged that over eighty percent of the people living in Ayetoro community have migrated due to the cause of oil exploitation and the National Chairman of host communities had also accused of 360million dollas and 1billion dollars launched by the 1billion dollars launched by United nation for the clean up of Ogoni land had no reasonable impact.
While responding to question on $360 million devoted for Ogoniland Clean up sequel to the Oil Producing Communities outcry, NOSDRA Director General, Mr. Idris Musa disclosed that apart from the $360 million donated by United National Environment Programme (UNEP), NNPCL, SPDC, and other major oil producing firms namely: NNPCL, Total Energies, Nigerian Agip Oil company anf Shell contributed the sum of $1.12 billion.
Members of the committee expressed concerns over the impacts of oil exploration in host communities,tackled NMDPRA and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) over the spate of divestment and decommissioning by some of the oil companies responsible for the degradation of oil communities.
While NOSDRA disclosed that over 600 sites have been impacted by oil spill through the exploration activities of oil companies operating within the region, NMDPRA argued that only 22 sites were impacted by oil spill from oil exploration activities so far.
The Chairman of the joint House Committees on Environment, Climate Change and Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), Hon. Julius Pondi who spoke during the investigative hearing into the service and unprecedented environmental damage within the oil producing communities, decried the infighting among various regulatory agencies which has impacted on the host communities.
The lawmakers also tackled Nigerian Midstream Petroleum Products Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA) for failure to open the Remediation Account into which the oil spill remediation fund would be paid into by the oil companies, in line with the provisions of Petroleum Industry Act, which was passed in 2021.
According to him, the Agency set up for the Ogoniland clean up programme started remediation in January 2019, adding that before his appointment as NOSDRA Director General, total of 21 Lots which represented 12 sites were awarded as contract, out of total of 64 Sites assessed by UNEP.
He added that additional 35 Sites were also added while NOSDRA has so far certified 54 remediation oil impacted Lots in Ogoniland and currently embarked on 39 Lots given out as contracts which represent the semi-low risk areas which polluted water and soil.
He however dismissed reports that there is no meaningful work carried out in the affected communities, as alleged by the Host Communities during an investigative hearing conducted on Tuesday.
While noting that the delay was not only caused by the contractors handling the clean up exercise but also faced with suit filed by one of the community people who filed a suit to freeze the account of the Agency handling the exercise, the NOSDRA helmsman further disclosed that the Minister of Environment recently intervened by directing all the contractors to mobilized back to site with a view to continue the clean up exercise.
He maintained that the Committee is at liberty to visit Ogoniland with a view to ascertain the level of work carried out so far.
In response to the delay in the opening of the Remediation Account, Mr. Musa who accused NUPRC and NMDPRA of gambling into environmental issues where they do not have competence, just as he underscored the nedd for the two regulatory and operational issues.
Speaking on behalf of Nigerian Midstream Petroleum Products Regulatory Agency, Executive Commissioner Health, Safety, Environment & Communities, Captain John Roland Tonlagha and Assistant Director, Mr. Ibrahim Alhaji who confirmed the unabated fire outbreak at OML 095 located in Ayetoro, disclosed that the Minister of Oil and Gas has directed the shutdown of the oil well by all means, adding that two vendors have been contracted to carry out the shutdown.
According to them, the Agency is currently awaiting the approval of the Minister since it involves fund.
While responding to issue bothering on the spate of divestment by the oil companies operating in the country and the role of the host communities, he disclosed that the Agency had last week held a meeting with the oil companies and resolved to appoint consultants that will come up with recommendations.
According to him, the Consultants are expected to submit the report by August, 2024
