The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has demanded that the National Assembly amends the law of the agency to enable it to criminalise the issue of oil spill.
The Director General of NOSDRA, Sir Peter Idabor, who noted this in Abuja at the 10th anniversary of the agency recently, bemoaned the poor adherence to the law by oil companies.
He said: “When there is an oil spill, most of the oil companies don’t respond because of the weak nature of the law; because they are strong with lawyers or have seen so many spaces where they can escape so that is the problem.
“We want the National Assembly to give that enablement to be able it to criminalise the issue of oil spill.If you are an MD and your company is involved in oil spill you go to jail and take responsibility,” he added.
The NOSDRA boss disclosed that several companies like Shell have been sanctioned to the tune of N89.8billion for flouting the law and degrading the environment, while others were in court over cases of oil spill.
The Minister of Environment, Hajiya Amina Mohammed, in her address, said there was a growing level of oil spill incidents caused majorly by the activities of illegal bunkering, artisanal refining, oil theft and armed militancy.
She explained that the devastating impacts of oil spills on the environment, health and livelihoods of the rural and urban communities have led to land degradation, loss of lives, destruction of habitats and depletion of national revenue base.
“The federal government is committed to dialogue with state governments, opinion and youth leaders in the Niger Delta region to find a lasting solution to these incessant attacks,” she also said.
She noted that government was also working to strengthen the institutional capacity of NOSDRA by reviewing its establishment Act to empower the agency for more effective delivery of its mandate.
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