The Rivers State Government says it would not fold its arms and watch safety of lives, properties and investments go down the drain in the state, especially in the extractive industries.
To this end, the state Ministry of Emergency and Natural Resources has organized a one-day workshop with the theme, “Safety sensitization Awareness as Engine for Sustainable Development”, to create the necessary safety awareness and re-orientate operators in the extractive industries on the consequences of operating in an unsafe environment.
Declaring the workshop open at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo called on individuals to cultivate the habit of safety in their daily activities, adding that such attitudes would help in addressing the challenges of environmental hazards in the society.
The deputy governor, who was represented on the occasion by the Director of Administration her office, Mr. Ben Robert, said the environment can be better, if all hands and efforts were put together for the protection and safeguard of the environment.
She lauded the state Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources for organizing the workshop with the theme, “Safety Sensitization and Awareness as Engine for Sustainable Development”, adding that the workshop was very apt as it could have not come at a better time than now.
According to her, the state was witnessing environmental challenges such as pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, among others.
Earlier in his welcome address, the state Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Barrister Chinyere Igwe, said the workshop was part of the transformational initiatives of Governor Nyesom Wike administration’s determination to change the course of history and mankind in the state epitomized in the landmark human, social and infrastructural rehabilitation and development being undertaken within the past three years.
He averred that the state government’s deliberate policy to revive, transform and reposition the state was based on the conviction that the state has abundant human and natural resources to transcend all aspects and levels of human endeavour and development that would accentuate economic prosperity to the people, and ultimately make the state, the next destination for tourism and economic activities.
He stated that to achieve this lofty ambition of the government, the state, he said, must be converted to a secured and safe haven, adding that such necessitated the huge investment by the Wike-led administration in the security architecture which has yielded significant result as evidenced by the tremendous downturn in crime rate across the state.
The commissioner opined that the 1969 Petroleum Act empowers the Federal Government to regulate the extractive industries but, however, said that the state would continue to create the needed advocacy and awareness in order to engender the consciousness among the people.
In their various goodwill messages, representatives of DPR, NEMA, NIMASA NOSDRA, FRSC, COREN and State Task Force on Monitoring of Petroleum Products and IPMAN lauded the ministry for the workshop and called for synergy among relevant agencies with responsibilities in protecting the extractive industries and the environment at large.