The Bayelsa State Ministry
of Environment says henceforth it will be involved in the detailed monitoring and oversight of pollution management activities in the state.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Iniruo Wills  stated this in Yenagoa, while briefing newsmen on certain administrative, regulatory and legal enforcement measures to ensure environmental best practices by the petroleum industry and other major oil operators in the state.
He declared that, “The Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment will henceforth be involved in the detailed monitoring and oversight of pollution management activities: from containment, recovery, clean – up and remediation to restoration of affected sites, communities and ecosystems”
“The Ministry in collaboration with the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) will require the registration, regulatory accreditation and/or pre-qualification of contractors and consultants before they are engaged for clean – up and remediation operations”
On the two recent oil spill disasters that occurred from the facilities and operations of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, the Commissioner said the pollution affected Ogboinbiri, Tebidaba, Keme-Ebiama, Ikebiri communities among others in Southern Ijaw, local Government area.
According to him, these recent pollution disasters have brought back into focus, the plight that has become almost a daily occurrence in the state and noted that, the response by operators of the facilities have been grossly unsatisfactory.
“We shall also confirm and certify satisfactory completion of work before the close out of such remedial operations. This is in light of our observation that most clean up jobs are shoddily done, sometimes involving the hazard of burning forests and vegetations either as a deliberate “clean up” measure or as an accidental but easily foreseeable consequence of unprofessional and poorly monitored execution. Our position is also informed by the rampant failure of the clamps put in place to contain previous spills, thus leading to fresh spillages”
The Commissioner maintained that, the priority placed on pollution prevention and diligent post spill management by oil industry operators was abysmally low, warning that, the government would henceforth insist on environmental best practices from oil producing companies.
To this end, Mr. Wills said the State Ministry of environment in collaboration with the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, would require the registration, regulatory accreditation and pre-qualification of contractors and consultants, before engaging their services for clean – up and other remediation operations.

Governship candidate, of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State, Chief Nyesom E. Wike (left), presenting a car document to the Paramount Ruler of Rumuwoji community, Chief John Dike in the community, yesterday . Photo: Obinna Prince Dele.