A non-governmental organisation, Stakeholders Alliance for Corporate Accountability (SACA) has commended the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for their consistent cooperation with other stakeholders to end widespread crude oil spillages and its consequences on the environment and human health in the Niger Delta region.
The Executive Director of SACA, Mr Kinsley Ozegbe, gave the commendation at the state headquarters of the Corps in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital, recently, during a courtesy visit by the Environmental Management Committee (EMC) of the NGO to the newly redeployed State Commandant of the NSCDC, Lucy Fakoya.
Ozegbe noted that in the past two years, the security formation has been committed to its partnership with SACA and the Bayelsa State Ministries of Environment, Health, Agriculture and Education to campaigns against crude oil spillages in 41 communities under its 3-year UNGP project.
He said the joint effort has richly been educating the public about the hazards linked to environment and human exposure to crude oil to enable citizens take non-violent actions that could reduce the high spate of vandalism and wilful damage of oil facilities which accounted for 76.24per cent of 1,107 crude oil spill incidences between January 2018 and July 2020 as recorded in Nigeria Oil Spill Monitor website.
The NGO’s boss stated that the synergy has been yielding positive results as communities and individuals increased reporting of spills incidences to appropriate authorities to protect them from harm.
The SACA helmsman further hinted that their analysis of 1,107 crude oil spill incidences unveiled that about 48per cent of the spillages occurred in Rivers State, 21per cent Delta State, 15per cent Bayelsa State and 16per cent in six other states, saying the NGO will continue to strengthen their partnership with the NSCDC and other stakeholders to improve the quality of the environment and human life in the region.
This SACA’s intervention, according to the Executive Director, is being funded by Misean Cara of the Republic of Ireland and the St. Patrick’s Missionary Society.
“NSCDC has been our partner in our quest towards reducing and getting rid-off oil spills, especially as it relates to third-party interference on oil facilities and pipelines in the Niger Delta region.
“Our current programme has a three year life-span, and we’re already in our second year of the programme. But we’re actually meeting with our sponsors and donors to work on the modalities needed to extend it beyond the existing three years duration.
“A review of the National oil spill monitor website showed that third-party interference, (vandalism and wilful damage) accounted for 76.24per cent of 1,107 oil spill incidences between January 2018 and July 2020.
“Further analysis unveiled that about 48per cent of the spillages occurred in Rivers State, 21per cent Delta State, 15per cent Bayelsa State and 16per cent in six other states”, SACA said.
The Tide gathered that the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) is an instrument that consist 31 principles that the UN adopted to Protect the rights of citizens, hold all companies and government to account to Respect and Remedy human rights abuses/violations as they conduct their business enterprises.
Responding to the speech of the NGO’s boss, the Bayelsa State Commandant of the NSCDC thanked the organization for the visit, assuring that the command would continue to strengthen its synergy with the NGO and other stakeholders to bring an end to sabotage and wilful damage of crude oil facilities.
“These deviant acts are greatly contributing to environmental hazards and socioeconomic sabotage of the Niger Delta region and the nation at large.
“Officers and Men of the Corps were noted for being patriotic and resilient in the discharge of their duties. The NSCDC has the mandate to protect all critical national infrastructure”, she said.
In same vein, Mrs. Sarah Udisi, Director of Agric Services at the Bayelsa State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, who also doubles as Chairman of the SACA Environmental Management Committee (EMC), has said the committee will continue to spread the campaigns against oil spills to nooks and crannies of the State to save human and the environment from destruction and extinction.
Udisi extolled the NGO for the facilitation and coordination of the project, saying she hoped that the project would be implemented beyond next year to consolidate the gains being recorded by the committee.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa