Nation
Group Canvasses Adequate Funding For Oil And Gas Regulatory Agencies
Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on the Federal Government to adequately fund the regulatory agencies in the oil and gas sector.
The CSOs made the call yesterday at a meeting organised by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) in Port Harcourt.
They opined that adequate funding would help to increase the effectiveness and independence of the agencies.
The Tide’s source reports that the meeting had in attendance 47 participants drawn from civil society organisations, representatives of the media and some communities in the Niger Delta region.
The Acting Executive Director of ANEEJ, Mr Leo Atakpu, said that the meeting was to enable them to reflect on the state of the Niger Delta region and the quest for late Ken Saro Wiwa’s struggle for environmental justice.
Atakpu, represented by ANEEJ Board member, Mr Nowinta Igbotako, also said that the meeting was to discuss emerging issues that had implications on the Niger Delta environment.
According to him, the meeting was part of the implementation of the advocacy for fossil fuel phase out in Nigeria, supported by the African Climate Foundation.
He said that the group was particularly interested in advancing the implementation of Paris Climate Agreement by encouraging oil companies and their investors to adopt the call for carbon emission reduction targeting 1.50C and bellow.
He said that the group’s interest was also about the fossil fuel phase-out with a just energy transition projection to protect the natural environment from pollution and over-exploitation.
Atakpu said that despite the urgent need for the world to quickly move away from fossil fuel or drastically reduce carbon emission to meet the 1.50C target set in Paris, oil and gas companies had yet to provide realistic plans that would save the planet from destruction and ensure global comfort.
“Major oil companies have abandoned initial climate commitments for short term profit because of increased global demand for crude oil.
“In 2023, the Church of England Pensions Board, a major investor in Shell and other oil companies, announced that it is withdrawing its fund from Shell and other companies because such companies had abandoned their climate commitments for short term profit.
“Nigeria’s oil wells are constantly being developed, the environment, including land, air and water, is polluted.
“The people’s livelihood has been badly affected.
“These are some of the reasons ANEEJ produced a documentary to show evidence and reflect on Saro Wiwa’s struggle for environmental justice in the Niger Delta region,” Atakpu said.
The meeting also discussed the outcome of COP28, which took place in Dubai in December 2023.
It also discussed the recent spate of divestments by International Oil Companies from on-shore operations in the Niger Delta, particularly the announcement by Shell of the planned sale of its Nigerian on-shore subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria.
The meeting also discussed the recently released responsible investment report by the Norges Bank Investment Management, a major investor in Shell, Eni and other oil companies.
In a communique, the meeting decried the lack of recognition of Shell’s operational failures by Norges, in spite of the evidence presented in the reports and witness statements, which showed that Shell could have done more to prevent and remediate oil spills in the region.
The meeting also decried the weak regulatory framework in the oil and gas sector in the country, where regulators depend on the oil and gas companies’ facilities and data to do their job.
The CSOs, therefore, urged the Federal Government and the regulators to adopt a national framework on responsible divestment that would guide oil companies’ divestment to align it with environmental restoration and climate mitigation.
They also decried the poor participation of political actors from the region in the global climate change discourse, including the COP processes.
In a bid to meaningfully engage secondary school students in Ogoniland during the Christmas holidays and beyond, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has trained them on petroleum jelly and liquid soap making.
This is even as the Project has partnered with the National Orientation Agency(NOA) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to keep the students away from crime and other related social vices during the Yuletide, by giving them pep talks that would put them on their toes during the period.
This came to the fore as HYPREP recently organised an Ogoni Young Men Mentorship programme and life skill workshop with the theme, ‘Career Coaching: Developing The Young Minds’ at Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The beneficiaries of the programme are essentially members of environmental clubs in 13 schools in four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
At the event, both NOA and NDLEA gave career talks to the students, aimed at keeping them off social vices like drug abuse and addiction as well as negative peer influences through out the Christmas holidays and beyond.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof NeinibariniZabbey said the Project deemed it necessary to invite the National Orientation Agency and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to speak to the students in order to shield them from negative peer influences as they are preparing to go for the Christmas holidays.
He explained that the workshop would enable the students to know when the signs of the negative peer influences start coming.
Zabbey, who was represented at the occasion by HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee, said the Project is not only going to train the beneficiaries but also give them the tools and skills that would grow them in the future so that they would start making money for themselves.
Also addressing the students, the Rivers State Coordinator of the National Orientation Agency(NOA), Mr Young Ayo-Tamuno expressed delight for meeting young minds, to discuss issues on values, describing it as a great opportunity.
He noted that there are seven values which constitute the role and commitment of the government towards the citizenry and another seven core values which constitute the code for the citizens.
While commending HYPREP for organising the event, Ayo-Tamuno said team work is key to making Nigeria a better place for all, as both the government and the citizens have their respective roles to play, with each staying committed and focused.
The Chief Programme Officer of NOA, Mr Henry Ayede was the one who actually mounted the rostrum and drilled the students on the seven core values embodied in the National Value Charter for citizens, and stressed the need for them to imbibe them and put them to practice as they grow up.
Ayede listed the values to include discipline, duty of care, leadership, tolerance and respect, transparency, environmental awareness and resilience.
He also underscored the need for the students to imbibe the spirit of hard work and dignity of labour, contending that while hard work and dedication contribute to success, every job can contribute to national development.
According to him, dignity in labour is the foundation of success.
On his part, Mr Bill Ebiokpo of the Media/ Advocacy Unit of NDLEA, who represented the Bori Area Commander of the agency, advised the students to guard against drug abuse and addiction, which he said have far reaching consequences.
The Principal of the Senior Secondary of Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Barrister Bob Agbozi thanked HYPREP for organising the programme, which he said enriched his knowledge and that of the students on the core values guiding the society, saying inculcating such values in young people and teaching them practical skills have contributed immensely to the greatness of advanced countries and even countries like Rwanda in Africa.
He noted that the career coaching would change the behavioral pattern of the students particularly during the Yuletide.
He also thanked NOA for the career talks and urged it to replicate the programme in other places, not only in schools but also in market places.
The training of the students on petroleum jelly and liquid soap making was anchored by an expert, MrsLekpa Abel, with HYPREP workers lending a helping hand.
It was, indeed, a practical session with the students, who came face to face with the production materials of the products.
Donatus Ebi
It was celebration galore as the people of Isu Community in Etche Local Government Area of River State held a civic reception in honour of the Council Chairman, Dr Uzodinma Nwafor .
The epoch- making ceremony which took place recently at the community ancestral home saw the attendance of the political class, the clergy, opinion leaders, the academia, youths, women, elders and chiefs gather to honour their brand new chairman.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Etche Local Government Council, Dr Uzodinma Nwafor expressed gratitude to the people for according him such honour, saying it shows their unwavering support to the development of Etche.
Nwafor announced the readiness of his administration to embark on electrification of Ozuzu clan including Isu community.
The Etche council boss also said the market at Isu will be reconstructed to improve the economic life of the people.
He revealed that the two projects will commence in January as efforts are on to mobilise the contractors.
Nwafor told the mammoth crowd that his major concern remains, peace and unity of the entire Etche, saying security of lives and property remains top on his agenda as no meaningful development can thrive in an atmosphere of violence.
He urged parents to encourage their wards and children to refrain from violence and embrace peace. “Let us allow Etche to be at peace .Don’t allow any body to use you set Etche ablaze. Parents advise your children to stay away from crime .We must stay in peace and unity. Our children must shun violence ,it can’t take us anywhere as a people ,” he declared.
He thanked the people for their support as well thank their son, former commissioner for Energy ,Okey Amadi for being a Pilar of his political sojourne.
Earlier, the Isu opinion leader and Principal, Community Secondary School, Mgbosomini in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area, Mr Chijioke Amadi said the honour done Etche chairman was a collective division of his people.
Amadi described the council boss as an illustrious son who has contributed immensely to the wellbeing of the community.
He declared that his community and the entire Etche will keep supporting him because he is doing well.
Amadi urged the people to keep praying for him and the Rivers State Governor to succeed in delivering dividends of democracy.
Senate has set up an adhoc committee to investigate the demolition of buildings in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT by the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, just as it summoned the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to appear before it to explain the reasons behind the demolitions, which have left many residents stranded
The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Ireti Kingibe ( FCT), who expressed concern over the illegal demolition of structures in the nation’s capital and called for an immediate stop to further demolitions.
The Red Chamber particularly ordered the FCDA to halt ongoing demolitions of property in the Territory within the next two weeks pending the report of its adhoc committee constituted to probe the issue.
The adhoc committee, to be chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, has the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru; Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, Senator Sahabi Ya’u, Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Idiat Adebule and Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, as members.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who announced the composition of the committee, gave it two weeks to submit its report.
Akpabio while reading the resolution of the Senate, said: “The Senate urges the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to stop further demolitions of structures, except those ordered by courts of competent jurisdictions, until the adhoc committee constituted by the Senate to ascertain the propriety or otherwise of the exercise concludes its investigation and interface with the FCT administration within the next two weeks.”
Kingibe in her lead debate said that in recent times, the demolition exercise in the FCT was no longer based on reasons that necessitated the demolition.
She urged the Senate to be further concerned that the current demolition in the FCT was not in line with due process of court orders to demolish.
“As such, a cross section of individuals had suffered untold hardships occasioned by massive demolition, which has led to a loss of properties worth billions of naira.
“Also concerned that at the moment, an estate by name, Messrs Paulosa, for which late Colonel Paul Osakpawan Ogbebor is the chairman, is currently under revocation and demolition. And from reliable information, the said plot of land was allocated to him in 1984 with requisite title document.
“And further concerned that the owner of this estate was a patriotic Nigerian who served the nation meritoriously and one of the first intakes of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, with registration Number 001,” Kingibe said.
She urged the Senate to accordingly resolve to urge the FCT administration to halt the ongoing revocation and demolition of the said property, “as it does not fall within the purview of the reasons for the massive demolition being carried by the FCDA.”
Senator Kingibe also advocated thatall demolitions should follow due process while the Senate set up a committee to investigate the matters arising from the demolition.
However, Senator Sunday Karimi ( Kogi West) in his contribution said the Senate needs to hear from the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, before ordering a halt to the demolitions.
“If you look at this motion, the presenter said, a specific land allocation was mentioned belonging to one Paul Ogbebor.
“We don’t know anything about this thing and we are just coming because of this to tell the minister to stop?
“There is need to investigate this matter before giving any directive. We must hear from the minister. But we have to hear before we say stop demolition.
“Let’s hear from the Minister. You cannot shave a man’s head at his back. We need to hear from the Minister,” Karimi said.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central), however disagreed with Karimi, saying that the request that the Senate should call on the FCT minister to halt further demolitions was in order.
He said: “Mr. President, with respect I disagree with Mr. Karimi. I think we need to be fair to everyone. There is before us an allegation that says certain steps are to be taken which will culminate in demolition. Are we saying that we should allow the place to be demolished while we are trying to look into it?”
In his response, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio agreed with the chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, saying “my thought is in line with yours. If we just say, continue the demolition, and then we start investigation, what are we then investigating?”
He, thereafter, read the resolution of the Senate calling on the FCT Minister to halt further demolitions of property in the FCT pending the investigative report of its adhoc committee chaired by the Deputy Senate President.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi