Bayelsa State
Government has flayed the activities of some communities that encourages vandalizing of oil pipe lines and artisanal refining of crude oil which resulted to heavy pollution of their environments.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Iniruo Wills, who made the condemnation at Yenagoa while speaking to newsmen, however gave  assurance that government will support the coastal communities affected by the January 16, 2012 explosion in Chevron’s rig who are now seeking for compensation from the oil company
Wills said the ministry was taking a holistic view at the plight of the communities with a view to assisting the victims to get redress saying all options to amicably resolve the conflict occasioned by the blow-out was being worked.
“As a government, we see oil companies as partners yet we are custodians of the environment, and hold the right to protect the environment in trust for our people.
“So, when there is an incident like the blow-out in Chevron’s KS Endeavour rig, we shall stand by our people and assist them in whatever way we can to get redress,” he said.
The commissioner said the state government remained committed to protecting the environment for future generations contending that the task of preserving the environment was a collective one and regretted that some members of the oil communities also indulged in practices that degraded the environment.
He pointed out that such practices included oil theft and artisanal oil refining as well as vandalising oil pipelines, noting that the environment has been left to fend for itself and also betrayed by the people of the Niger Delta region.
He stressed the need for communities to see protection of environment for the purpose of preserving it for the future, rather than destroy it now for whatever economic benefits they may be deriving.
Warning that while government would assist those communities that were affected by natural disaster; those intentionally engaging on willful act of environmental destruction would be handed over to relevant law enforcement agents for prosecution.