ABUJA — THE Senate, yesterday, disclosed that Nigeria has the highest number of oil spill incidences among oil producing countries with no penalty regime attached to such oil spills.
It noted that the level of spills in the country was a reflection of the total disregard on our environment and the dignity of our people.
Declaring open a public hearing on National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, Amendment Bill 2012 in Abuja by Senate Joint Committee on Environment and Ecology, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Bukola Saraki, said oil spill had become an irresponsible environmental behaviour and reckless waste of the people’s wealth and benefit, adding that it was high time multinational oil companies in the country stopped oil spills.
Saraki said the move had become imperative against the backdrop of its devastating effect on the environment and livelihoods of the people, even as he lamented that the statistics of oil spills in the country was “shameful” while the impact on the environment is “offensive.”
He said that the Bill titled: “An Act to amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) establishment, etc, Act 2006 and for other matters connected therewith” was designed among others to redress the legal loopholes in the existing Act.
He said, ‘’Oil spill is ravaging our environment and has become one of the greatest threats to our sustainable development. This amendment Bill is a clarion call to us all, to put a stop to this.
‘’The statistics of oil spills in Nigeria is shameful; the impact on the environment is offensive. It can no longer be business as usual. Without a doubt, oil spillage is dealt with all over the world as an environmental issue and a human right issue that goes to the quality of the environment and the value of life of those impacted by spills.
‘’Internationally, where there is a spill, the polluter pays for the cost and damage. But it is worrisome that in Nigeria whether an oil spill has been as a result of accident, operational failure, deliberate sabotage, negligence to take adequate measures or refusal to act there is as yet no legal mechanism or structure for determining mode of paying compensation or recovering damages.
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