Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has
called on the National Assembly and Federal Government to put in place workable
measures that would address problems of environmental degradation and flooding
in the Niger Delta region and the country.

Addressing members of the Senate Committee on Environment
and Ecology at a courtesy visit in Government House, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday,
Amaechi said if adequate measures are put in place, it would address the
problems suffered by oil producing communities in the region.

He said, “We all know that derivation funds are paid to the
states, but all of us must work together and ensure that the problems faced by
these communities should be addressed”.

“We should do something fast to help our people, that is why
I said, you need to champion the PIB bill that addresses issues of oil
producing communities, and that is our concern because it would bring sucour to
our people”.

Amaechi said the issue of flooding had become worrisome in
the region and called on  federal
government to take urgent steps to disilt River Niger to address the menace of
flooding.

According to him, “The reason why you have flooding is
because the federal government need to disilt River Niger, and if we don’t do
that, we can’t stop flooding”.

Amaechi also thanked the Senate Committee on Environment and
Ecology for their concern and commitment to finding lasting solution to the
environmental challenges suffered by the people of the region.

Earlier, Chairman of the committee, Senator Bukola Saraki
said he was in the state with members of the committee as part of their
oversight functions to verify complaints relating to issues of environmental
pollution and devastation in oil producing communities in the state.

Saraki expressed disappointment over the level of oil
pollution in Obite, Ebubu, Bori and Joinkrama Communities in Rivers State.

He said, “We visited some oil producing communities where there were complaints of oil degradation and devastation of their water, farmlands and environment, and the people could do nothing for their livelihood, because no remediation was paid to them by those oil companies.”

He stated that, it was wrong for host communities to suffer
such level of pollution from oil companies operating in their areas without
adequate compensation paid to those affected and  stressed the need for  speedy passage of NOSDRA Amendment Bill 2012
before the National Assembly to address problems of compensation, polluter pays
and spill affecting oil producing communities in the Niger Delta.

He said, “We need the NOSDRA Amendment Bill 2012 to be
considered for speedy passage, because, right now, no penalty for oil companies
operating in oil producing communities, what the companies do is just to clean
up the environment without any compensation or remediation to the people, we
will do our best to change things that would better the life of our people”, he
said.

He commended Governor Amaechi for restoring peace in Rivers
State, and thanked the oil affected communities for their cooperation in making
the inspection visit a success.