Lagos – An environmental rights activist, Mr Akinbode Olufemi, has told the Federal Government to enact laws to tackle environmental degradation issues in oil-bearing communities in the Niger Delta.
Olufemi, who is Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth, gave the advice at a capacity building training for media practitioners at the Pan-Atlantic University in Ibeju-Lekki, near Lagos on Friday.
Speaking on “Social Issues and Environmental Impact of Natural Resource Extraction in Nigeria’’,
the environmentalist blamed Nigeria’s weak policy framework on laws inherited from the colonial masters, describing the laws as outdated, ineffective and begging for review.
Olufemi noted that most environmental laws in Nigeria were enacted in the 50s and 70s and reviewed last in the 90s, saying that the laws needed urgent reviews because of current realities in the Niger Delta.
The activist lamented that weak and inactive institutions, including regulatory bodies like the Department of Petroleum Resources were not making matters better as they lacked capacity to handle the issues for which they were established.
Olufemi said that Nigeria also lacked necessary environmental laws that could protect communities, livestock and the means of livelihood of Niger Delta residents.
He criticized government and the oil-bearing communities for their ignorance of the terms of contractual agreements signed before exploration and production of oil in the communities.
In a similar vein, Mr Israel Aye, Managing Partner of Sterling Partnership for Energy, Commercial Contracts and Infrastructure, attributed environmental degradation in the Niger Delta to faulty policies and weak regulations.
Speaking on “Legal and Regulatory Framework in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry’’, Aye said there was need to develop a legal framework for the extractive industry.
According to him, this requires that laws, regulations and policies governing the industry should be unambiguous, comprehensive, flexible, transparent and practical.
The legal practitioner argued that government’s legal framework should be responsive to Nigeria’s peculiar environment, rather than mimicking global standards.
He said that passing the Petroleum Industry Bill into law was fundamental to providing good regulatory environment to attracting foreign investors for economic development.
“Regulatory agencies in Nigeria need to develop capacity to ensure good behavior of new generation companies,’’ he stated.
Twenty-five journalists drawn from various media organisations in Nigeria are taking part in the Masters Class in Oil and Gas Reporting, facilitated by the Natural Resource Governance Institute, based in Abuja.
The institute collaborated with the School of Media and Communication of the Pan-Atlantic University, the Wole Soyinka Institute for Investigative Journalism and the Premium Times in the two-week intensive course. (NAN)