By Eric Moore
THE people of Niger Delta region have blamed the three tiers of government for the unabated pollution of their environment.
These people, including traditional rulers, activists and peace advocates, made the accusation at a ‘Multi-stakeholder State-level Dialogue on Carbon Offset in the Niger Delta’ organized by Search for Common Ground in partnership with European Union, SDN and PIND held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State yesterday.
They alleged that governments’ lack of commitment to implementing environmental laws has emboldened international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the region in emitting carbon dioxide into their environment indiscriminately.
According to the stakeholders, it is a misnomer to have Ministry of Environment (both at federal and state levels), yet multi-national oil firms and artisanal crude oil refiners are constantly carrying out operations polluting their environment without prosecution.
One of the royal fathers and Paramount Ruler of Ancient Ataijong Kingdom in Andoni Local Government Area of the state, His Eminence, Emmanuel Samuel, lamented that premature deaths have become recurring news in Niger Delta communities because of hazardous environment.
He stated: “Government should stop window dressing; they are supposed to lead the charge by implementing the laws, hold the IOCs responsible and ensure they pay for what they have done.
“Ordinarily, there are laws that were meant to checkmate the activities of the multinational oil companies in the Niger region and communities. But, what the IOCs do is, instead of trying to remedy the damages they have cost, and either empower or employ the people, they will try divide and rule strategy which in turn will lead to crisis and conflict in our communities.”
Also, Chairman of Rivers State Peace Architecture, Prince Charles Beke, although federal and state governments have laws protecting the environment, he doubts their operationalization.
Beke stated: “Though the federal and state governments have policies and agencies put in place to cushion the effects of these issues of pollution and environmental degradation, but, I don’t think they are doing this to the best interest of the society and communities.
“The government needs to do more to what Search for Common Ground has done. The study which this NGO has done is a ground for government to take the template produced and see how they can create policies that would cause environmental awareness in the people.
“Government should also create an avenue to ensure reduction in the emissions or carbon footsteps that were already released into the society.”
Earlier , the Policy and Advocacy Specialist with Search for Common Ground, on the EU-Niger Delta Project, Caleb Tidi, said when it comes to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, Niger Delta is the hub.
“But, unfortunately, the region is more ravaged by environmental degradation. And this is due to active activities around the natural resources (the oil and gas).
“Hence, the need to come up with initiatives that would try to offset this carbon footprint that has been emitted into the environment, which has caused a lot of environmental degradation, leading to loss of livelihoods and promoting criminality in the Niger Delta.”