The Akwa Ibom State government and the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) have declared their readiness to address oil spills, mining impacts, waste and other environmental issues in the state with a view to reducing the devastation in oil and mineral-bearing communities.
The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources reached the decision when the EDEN team, led by its Executive Director, Chima Williams, visited the ministry in Uyo, the state capital on September 3, 2024.
A major thrust of the EDEN visit was to interface with key ministries and agencies in the state to find a solution to the spate of oil spills that have affected host communities, the most recent being the spills in Ibeno Local Government Area.
Williams, who led the delegation, including the Deputy Executive Director, Alagoa Morris, EDEN Board member, Philip Jakpor and Programme Manager, Media and Communication, Elvira Jordan, expressed his sympathy for the people of Ibeno and other victims of oil spills in the state, due to the negligence of the extractive industry.
Speaking on the impacts of oil spill on the environment and the people, he stated that in the face of pollution caused by extractive activities, the environment and the people are victims of such pollution, especially in view of the impacts on people who rely on the environment for survival and livelihood.
Williams pointed out that EDEN is interested in ensuring environmental safety and environmental protection through collaborative efforts, and that the organization promotes environmental friendly laws around mining, waste management systems and other issues that safeguard the environment.
He stressed that it is the duty of the government to protect its people, and thus, the protection of the environment and the livelihoods of the people is of utmost importance.
“Where the government feels restricted in its work, EDEN as a civil society organization that believes in environmental rights can be a voice that advocates for better laws, regulations and actions that protects host communities from the multinationals,” he said.
While calling for stringent laws against multinational companies that are guilty of environmental pollution, Williams called on the Akwa Ibom state government to adopt the penalty of revoking the Certificate of Ownership on the properties of extractive companies found wanting, as a deterrent against careless operations and disregard for host communities .
Also speaking at the meeting, Morris drew the attention of the ministry to the UNEP report that facilitated the cleanup of Ogoni land, as other states like Bayelsa have already developed an Environmental Report on the impacts of oil and gas in the state.
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He further stressed that the Ogoni cleanup is only an entry point that is supposed to be replicated in the entire Niger Delta region with records of legacy spill incidents like the recent Ibeno oil spill.
While advocating for the cleanup of the entire Niger Delta region, Alagoa urged the ministry to also develop an environmental impact report on the activities of extraction in Akwa Ibom state, as this is a first step towards pushing for the cleanup of impacted communities in the state.
He assured the ministry of EDEN’s collaboration on issues relating to oil spills, mining activities, waste management and environmental protection, to advocate for the attention of the appropriate authorities and to ensure a clean and safe environment for business and economy to thrive in the state.
Responding, Mrs. Iquo Abia, the Permanent Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, who received the delegation on behalf of the Commissioner, commended EDEN for its work and resilience towards the environment. She revealed that the ministry would collaborate with EDEN in the areas of interest.
She also gave insight into some actions that have been taken by the ministry and the National Oil Spill Detection and Remediation Agency (NOSDRA) to determine the cause of the spill in Ibeno, even as she revealed that the ministry would engage stakeholders on actions to be taken.
Abia agreed that the excesses of the oil multinationals in the state need to be monitored with kin interest, with the help of the judiciary, and thus, the idea raised by EDEN on the revocation of Certificate of Ownerships of airing companies was worth considering as a means of ensuring the protection of the environmental rights of the people.
She also acknowledged the idea of developing an environmental audit report of Akwa Ibom as suggested by the EDEN team, as this will facilitate a much needed cleanup in the oil producing areas in Akwa Ibom state and the entire Niger Delta.
While commenting on the recent Public Hearing on Mining by the National Assembly, Abia frowned that the states were not carried along in the process, as the state and local governments are stakeholders on issues involving the environment and mineral resources, and should be included in such processes.
She stated that the governor of Akwa Ibom state is particular about environmental safety and is willing to collaborate with EDEN in taking further steps to protect the environmental rights of the people in Akwa Ibom State.
