Business
Diri Goes Int’l With Environmental Justice Campaign …Seeks Remediation For Polluted Oil Communities
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has again taken his campaign for environmental justice for oil-ravaged communities in his state and the Niger Delta region to the international community.
Towards this end, the governor met with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, at its secretariat in London, saying the body’s intervention was needed to successfully implement the report of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC) titled: ”An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Humanitarian and Environmental Cost of Oil in Bayelsa, Nigeria”.
It would be recalled that prior to Governor Diri’s ascension into office, his predecessor, Henry Seriake Dickson, unveiled a commission of inquiry on oil and gas related environmental hazards.
The 216-page report of the Commission, which was chaired by the former Archbishop of York, Lord John Sentamu, was launched in May 2023 at the House of Lords in London.
Governor Diri in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, was quoted while presenting the report to Baroness Scotland saying International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the state were divesting and exiting the Niger Delta without any concrete plan to remediate and compensate host communities polluted by their exploration activities.
He faulted the 13 percent derivation to oil-producing states and the federal laws on oil and gas exploration in Nigeria, appealing to the Commonwealth to support efforts to address the environmental injustice that oil-bearing communities had been subjected to.
Diri said his administration was open to dialogue to prevent a double jeopardy for the communities as well as exploring the legal option, if dialogue failed.
“The Commonwealth’s dedication to environmental protection is crucial, and we are eager to collaborate in addressing these pressing issues together. We are here because we can achieve so much in terms of the environmental challenges we face by collaborating with your office.
“We’re also here because your intervention will attract the attention of our Federal Government back home. The recommendations of the BSOEC report will be implemented not only by our state, but there are also aspects that require our Federal Government’s action.
“As a sub-national government, there is little we can do to ensure the implementation of this report. The oil and gas resources underneath our soil belong to the Federal Government”, he said.
The Governor continued that “Bayelsa State has endured catastrophic environmental degradation due to decades of oil exploration, transforming our once vibrant region into one of the most polluted places on earth.
“The health implications for our people are severe, with reduced life expectancy and increased neonatal deaths. We cannot ignore the human cost of this environmental crisis. I often wonder if the oil underneath our soil had become a curse or a blessing”.
He expressed the state’s concern about Shell’s planned divestment from its onshore operations.
“It is imperative that this transition does not allow the company to walk away from the environmental devastation it has caused over the years.
“We urge Shell to commit to a comprehensive clean-up and remediation plan before exiting, ensuring that the people of Bayelsa are not left to shoulder the burden of this disaster alone.
“We expect that a responsible international business organisation such as Shell would set aside funds to restore the environment in advance of its divestment”, the Bayelsa State Chief Executive lamented.
He also noted that the State Government had previously reached a negotiated settlement with Shell on dispute issues that involved tenement rates for the Gbarain gas processing facility and looks forward to opening similar discussions on this issue.
“We’re also exploring legal avenues to halt Shell’s divestment until adequate measures for environmental restoration are firmly in place. We must protect our communities and their future”, he said.
In their remarks, Lord Sentamu, another BSOEC member, Dr. Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou, and Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, urged the Commonwealth to take steps to halt the “environmental genocide” in Bayelsa in particular and the Niger Delta in general.
They reasoned that the continued crude oil pollution of rivers and the flaring of gas constituted “landmines” to the health and livelihoods of people of the state and the region.
The Bayelsa State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Biriyai Dambo, SAN, who also spoke, highlighted the inadequacies in the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 in addressing the issue of environmental degradation and compensation for host communities.
Dambo said the PIA centralises control of the oil and gas sector, reinforcing the Federal Government’s authority over natural resources, with minimal consideration for the needs and rights of communities and states where the resources are located.
“The lack of substantial decision-making power for local communities and state governments further entrenches their marginalisation and leaves little room for states to influence policy, or benefit from the resources extracted within their borders”, the Attorney-General said.
Responding, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Scotland, thanked the Governor and his delegation for the visit, their presentation and the report, which she said had shed more light on the oil-rated issues in Nigeria and Bayelsa.
She noted that oil exploration in Nigeria presented an interesting scenario as the Federal Government holds majority stakes in the joint venture arrangement in place.
“So, this is not only about Shell alone. This is something that is politically complex and as an institution it is essential for us to promote best practices, which in this case can be found in the Oil and Gas Decommissioning toolkit that we have developed. And through the promulgation of best practices, it can help to provide better clarity when the conversations with the Nigerian Federal Government take place.
“It can also help in relation to regulation and when dealing with offsetting the threats that might arise from the multi-lateral and multinational companies”, she said.
Scotland added that a team will examine the report and proffer appropriate recommendations that will guide all parties concerned.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Business
$5bn Train 7 Project 80% Complete -NCDMB
The Board stated this in a statement released by its Corporate Communications Directorate to newsmen, recently, during the inauguration of 140 trainees for the Train 7 Project.
The trainees had undergone the Nigerian Content Human Capacity Development (NC-HCD) programme it organised in partnership with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The Tide gathered that the training programme was an intensive three-month Advanced NC-HCD Programme for the US$5 billion NLNG Train 7 Project on Bonny Island, Rivers State.
The trainees, The Tide further learnt are graduates in different academic disciplines who have completed a 12-month Basic Training Programme in diverse oil-and-gas-industry-related skill sets and are now set for an on-the-job phase which includes active hands-on participation in operational areas such as Turn Around Maintenance (TAM), Commissioning, and Desktop Programmes.
The Corporate Communications Directorate of the NCDMB told The Tide that in November 2024, a set of 331 trainees under Batch A of the NLNG T7 HCD Training Programme began capacity development in facility management, engineering, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Quality Assurance and Quality Control, as well as welding and fabrication.
According to the Board, additional 77 trainees under Batch B of the same Training Programme began capacity development in data analytics and supply chain management among several other fields relevant to the operations of the oil and gas industry.
While addressing the trainees and trainers who were drawn from the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN), Management Personnel of the NCDMB and NLNG, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the Advanced NC-HCD training is more than a milestone.
“The NC-HCD training programme is an expression of the collective commitment of the Board and the NLNG to nurturing world-class Nigerian professionals who will shape the future of our oil and gas industry.
“The Board has remained steadfast in its conviction that Human Capital Development is a critical investment in the sustainability and competitiveness of Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain”, the NCDMB boss said.
Business
Ageing Aviation Workforce: Minister Urges Youth Grooming For Replacement
He said the situation has resulted in widened knowledge gaps and operational challenges.
As a globally regulated sector, he said it was important that stakeholders put measures in place to attract the talents required to move the industry forward.
Keyamo, therefore, called on stakeholders in the industry to be deliberate in identifying, encouraging, nurturing and harvesting young talents to ensure a sustainable supply of manpower to the aviation sector.
Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the FAAN, Mrs Obiageli Orah, in a release made available to aviation correspondents, noted that the Minister deemed it necessary to attract the right quality of human resources required to move the sector forward.
“As a globally regulated sector, it is important that stakeholders put measures in place to continually attract the right quality and quantity of human resources required to move the industry forward.
“It is important to note that organising training programmes are avenues through which we can breed, nurture, and harvest such human resources.
“One of the critical challenges facing the industry is the ageing and retiring workforce, leading to widened knowledge gaps and operational issues.
“Training programmes, I believe, is among other things designed to make aviation appealing to the younger generation, while encouraging them to develop interest in taking up a career in the industry”, the statement stated.
Meanwhile, some aviation stakeholders have expressed concerns of countless young Nigerians who seek to make their mark in aviation, tourism, and the wider transport ecosystem but often face steep barriers to entry.
According to them, lack of access, limited mentorship, financial constraints, skill mismatches, and systemic gaps, among others, have posed some constraints to them.
Business
Ogbe Gets Appo Board Appointment
The Tide gathered that by the appointment, Ogbe becomes Nigeria’s representative on the Board of the 18-member continental body, which has its headquarters at Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Ogbe was picked for this role by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who doubles as the Chairman of the NCDMB Governing Council.
The notice of the Executive Secretary’s appointment was conveyed in a congratulatory letter signed by the Director of Support Services, APPO, Mrs. Philomena Ikoko, on behalf of the Secretary-General of the organisation, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim.
She applauded the NCDMB boss on the confidence reposed in him by the Minister, expressing her belief that he would make immense contributions to the development of the African oil and gas industry.
Mrs Ikoko stated that Ogbe was joining the Executive Board of APPO at a challenging time for the oil and gas industry, especially in Africa.
“Your appointment is a major call to duty for Nigeria and the continent. The secretariat will give you the support you will need to make a success of your assignment”, she said.
According to a statement by the Directorate of Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, the NCDMB played key roles in catalysing the operations of APPO and the development of local content in Africa.
The statement added that the board was providing institutional support and mentorship to several oil producing countries in their formulation of local content policies.
“The NCDMB initiated the African Local Content Roundtable (ALCR) and hosted the inaugural edition in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, in June 2021, and the event was attended by key officials of APPO and other oil industry players.
“The idea for the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) was mooted by NCDMB’s officials at the event, as one of the strategies that would accelerate the growth of the African oil and gas industry and deepen local content.
“The Board also collaborated with APPO to host subsequent editions of the African Local Content Roundtable (ALCR), including the 2023 edition held at Abuja.
“The Africa Energy Bank, which APPO is setting up at Abuja, is aimed at pooling financial resources needed to fund big-ticket oil and gas projects across the continent, and bridge funding challenges currently impeding the development of the sector”, the NCDMB’S said.
Meanwhile, the APPO Secretary-General has said the Africa Energy Bank seeks to fund oil and gas projects across economies in Africa and help to plug critical financing gaps that exist through the continent’s over reliance on financiers from the West.
He added that each APPO member country is expected to raise $83 million with an objective of raising $5 billion capital for the establishment of the Bank.
The Tide learnt that recently Nigeria, Angola and Ghana have contributed their share capital for the African Energy Bank, which represents 44 percent of the trio’s contributions to the minimum capital that is required from oil producing countries in the continent.
It would be recalled that at the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) held recently, the NCDMB’s Scribe confirmed that the agency was part of key institutions that pooled resources for the formation of the Africa Energy Bank.
Ogbe announced that the Bank will open for business before the end of the 2nd quarter of this year, 2025, expressing hope that it will create more funding availability for local oil and gas projects and companies.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, had stated at the Offshore Technology Conference that Afrexim Bank has already raised $19billion for the take-off of the Africa Energy Bank.
According to him, $14 billion out of the funds represents the bank’s financial exposure on African oil and gas projects, with the additional $5 billion as take-off capital.
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