NOSDRA Blames Oil Pollution On Sabotage

The National Oil Spill and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has said that 90 per cent of oil pollution in the Niger Delta region is caused by sabotage.
South South Zonal Director of the agency, Mr Cyril Mkangwang disclosed this in an interview with The Tide in his office in Port Harcourt.
Mr Nkangwang said that this situation has underscored the need for the Federal Government to take the issue of pipeline surveillance very seriously.
He said that NOSPRA has been on the forefront in the campaigns for the government to pay serious attention to the surveillance of pipelines across the country, with a view to checking the incessant spillages and pollutions of not only the Niger Delta but other parts of the country that host pipeline right of ways.
According to him, pipeline survelliance issue should be given more attention by all relevant agencies in the country. He also stressed the need for communities hosting pipeline right of ways to be involved in the surveillance programme.
He also berated security agencies for the incessant destruction of alleged oil bunkering barges laden with crude oil thereby spilling their contents into the rivers and creeks.
He said that this practice is contributing to the pollution of the region, advising that the contents of all illegal oil bunkering barges should always be recycled and sent to the Nigerian National petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with the view to refining it for public usage. He also decried the non involvement of heads of federal parastatals in the state in the black sooth committee.
Meanwhile some residents of Port Harcourt have called for measure to check the effect of the black Sooth on the environment. Some of them who spoke to The Tide in an interview said that most people can no longer spread their clothes outside.
The Administrative officer of Eastern Polytenics Rumuokwurhsi Mrs Ogboji Christian said that students of the institution are also complaining of the presence of the sooth in their hostels and urged for something to be done about it.
Also speaking, Mr Rita Christopher regretted that people can no longer breath fresh air in the city.

By: John Bibor & Edwin Ayabadar.