Nation
Group Canvasses Adequate Funding For Oil And Gas Regulatory Agencies
Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on the Federal Government to adequately fund the regulatory agencies in the oil and gas sector.
The CSOs made the call yesterday at a meeting organised by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) in Port Harcourt.
They opined that adequate funding would help to increase the effectiveness and independence of the agencies.
The Tide’s source reports that the meeting had in attendance 47 participants drawn from civil society organisations, representatives of the media and some communities in the Niger Delta region.
The Acting Executive Director of ANEEJ, Mr Leo Atakpu, said that the meeting was to enable them to reflect on the state of the Niger Delta region and the quest for late Ken Saro Wiwa’s struggle for environmental justice.
Atakpu, represented by ANEEJ Board member, Mr Nowinta Igbotako, also said that the meeting was to discuss emerging issues that had implications on the Niger Delta environment.
According to him, the meeting was part of the implementation of the advocacy for fossil fuel phase out in Nigeria, supported by the African Climate Foundation.
He said that the group was particularly interested in advancing the implementation of Paris Climate Agreement by encouraging oil companies and their investors to adopt the call for carbon emission reduction targeting 1.50C and bellow.
He said that the group’s interest was also about the fossil fuel phase-out with a just energy transition projection to protect the natural environment from pollution and over-exploitation.
Atakpu said that despite the urgent need for the world to quickly move away from fossil fuel or drastically reduce carbon emission to meet the 1.50C target set in Paris, oil and gas companies had yet to provide realistic plans that would save the planet from destruction and ensure global comfort.
“Major oil companies have abandoned initial climate commitments for short term profit because of increased global demand for crude oil.
“In 2023, the Church of England Pensions Board, a major investor in Shell and other oil companies, announced that it is withdrawing its fund from Shell and other companies because such companies had abandoned their climate commitments for short term profit.
“Nigeria’s oil wells are constantly being developed, the environment, including land, air and water, is polluted.
“The people’s livelihood has been badly affected.
“These are some of the reasons ANEEJ produced a documentary to show evidence and reflect on Saro Wiwa’s struggle for environmental justice in the Niger Delta region,” Atakpu said.
The meeting also discussed the outcome of COP28, which took place in Dubai in December 2023.
It also discussed the recent spate of divestments by International Oil Companies from on-shore operations in the Niger Delta, particularly the announcement by Shell of the planned sale of its Nigerian on-shore subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria.
The meeting also discussed the recently released responsible investment report by the Norges Bank Investment Management, a major investor in Shell, Eni and other oil companies.
In a communique, the meeting decried the lack of recognition of Shell’s operational failures by Norges, in spite of the evidence presented in the reports and witness statements, which showed that Shell could have done more to prevent and remediate oil spills in the region.
The meeting also decried the weak regulatory framework in the oil and gas sector in the country, where regulators depend on the oil and gas companies’ facilities and data to do their job.
The CSOs, therefore, urged the Federal Government and the regulators to adopt a national framework on responsible divestment that would guide oil companies’ divestment to align it with environmental restoration and climate mitigation.
They also decried the poor participation of political actors from the region in the global climate change discourse, including the COP processes.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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