By Obiabin Onukwugha
Akwa Ibom State Government has shown its displeasure over National Assembly’s inability to carry along states while conducting recent public hearing on mining activities across the country.
The state noted that state and local governments are stakeholders on issues involving the environment and mineral resources, and should be included in such processes.
The was made known by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources through the Permanent Secretary, , Mrs. Iquo Abia, when she received the delegation of Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), a non – governmental organization (NGO) in her office in Uyo, the state capital.
She stated that the governor of Akwa Ibom state is particular about environmental safety of the state and is willing to collaborate with all agencies, offices, ministries, parastatals, including bodies that takes environment sustainability seriously towards protecting the environmental rights of the people in Akwa Ibom state.
Earlier during the courtesy visit by EDEN team, led by its Executive Director, Chima Williams, expressed his sympathy for the people of Ibeno community and other victims of oil spills in the state.
He stated that the people are victims of pollution caused by oil extraction and mining activities, 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 environmental.
He said: “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”.
While calling for stringent laws against multinational companies that are guilty of environmental pollution, Williams stressed the need for 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 .
On his part, the Deputy Executive Director of EDEN, Alagoa Morris, drew the attention of the ministry to the UNEP report that facilitated the clean-up of Ogoni land, as other states like Bayelsa have already developed an Environmental Report on the impacts of oil and gas in the state.
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.
In the meantime, the state government has declared its readiness to work with EDE in addressing oil spills, mining impacts, waste and other environmental issues bedeviling the state.
The Permanent Secretary 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.