By Fatima Saka
The federal government of Nigeria has pledged allegiance to support the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency to achieve its mandate on the ongoing cleanup of Ogoniland.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) is assiduously working to make her parent, Federal Ministry of Environment proud by steadfastly discharging its mandate in the management of oil spill and related matters with intense commitment, determination and proactiveness.
The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako made this declaration during a working visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
This was revealed in a press release signed by Ronald Emeh, Head Media and Publicity Unit, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).
Director-General/Chief Executive (DG/CE) of NOSDRA, Idris O. Musa, expressed his warm appreciation to the minister’s visit, the DG/CE went down memory lane to recollect the successive efforts to amend and galvanize the Establishment Act of the agency with an eye to ensuring robust, effective and unfettered performance in the management of oil spills and related challenges in the country, emphasizing that despite the efforts through the National Assembly that saw the bills passed by the eighth and ninth assemblies but not signed by the administrations then, due to certain issues raised by various vested interests, hope had arisen that the tenth assembly would go for the second reading of the re-presented Amendment Bill when its officials resume from recess in October.
Musa announced that recently, the Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR) nominated NOSDRA for service awards for being the first in Federal MDA Mobile Application and Distinguished Govtech TRAIMIL Trailblazer.
He also mentioned other spectacular feats of the agency in a bid to adequately discharge its mandate as development of tested and reliable Nigerian Oil Spill Monitor and Gas Flare Tracker, apart from being in the driving seat of certification of the ongoing cleanup of Ogoniland and establishment of the state-of-art NOSDRA Reference Laboratory (NRL) in Port-Harcourt and putting plans afoot for establishment of warehouses for stockpile of oil spill response facilities in Kaduna, Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Calabar airports, as well as acquisition of air tractors and unmanned drones.
In his address, the Honourable Minister of State for Environment stated that his visit to NOSDRA was essentially a kind of oversight in order to have a better understanding of the workings of the agency and challenges facing it.
While pledging support for NOSDRA to enable it to optimally discharge its mandate, Dr. Salako said he would forward the agency with an energy transition plan stemming from his ministry’s explored partnership with the Danish Government in this regard for sustenance of environment and means of livelihood.
The minister gave a pat on the back to NOSDRA for its relentless efforts channeled towards stellar performance in oil spill management in the country and pledged the support and encouragement of his ministry to enable the agency achieve its mandate without any let or hindrance.
Meanwhile, NOSDRA has reassured of its commitment to collaborate with the Cross River State Ministry of Environment in the area of management of oil spills and other related matters in the state.
This was disclosed in a press release signed by Ronald Emeh Head Media and Publicity Unit, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).
The DG/CE, while extending a hand of cooperation with the ministry, disclosed that NOSDRA had set up a zonal office in Calabar to superintend the management of oil spills and allied matters in the state.
In his address, the Cross River State Commissioner of Environment expressed his appreciation to the DG/CE’s gesture of honoring the invitation of courtesy visit despite his tight schedule, mentioning the issue of seepage from tank farms as among the oil-related environmental challenges in the state upon which the ministry was considering to synergise with NOSDRA to address.
Honourable Osigi disclosed that the new Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, had assured him during a courtesy visit to him in his office in Abuja that NOSDRA will support Cross River State in the areas of need on oil spill and allied matters.