News
Spillage: FG Mulls Stiffer Punishment For Oil Firms
The Federal Government, yesterday, announced plans to institute stiffer punishments for companies involved in oil spillage in the country.
The government also said that the level devastation in the Niger Delta was massive and has planned to meet stakeholders in Ogoni land on the ongoing clean-up exercise to get their own assessment on how far government has gone.
The Minister of State for Environment, Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, made the disclosure at the weekly ministerial press briefing organized by the Presidential Media Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
She said the ministry was engaging other relevant government agencies to achieve this.
According to her, a bill is being worked out to amend the law establishing the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to build its capacity and give it “the needed teeth to bite.”
She said the operating company of the OML29 in Nembe, Bayelsa State has blamed the most recent oil spillage in the country on sabotage by the locals.
However, she announced that the Santa Barbara spillage has been brought under control after weeks the incident occurred with necessary personnel and equipment deployed to begin recovery and remediation efforts.
Ikeazor stressed the need to put an end to artisanal refineries, which she said had continued to cause pollution in the Niger Delta.
The minister also lamented the high rate of deaths from smoke, especially among women in the country, which she noted is the highest in the world.
She said something must be done about the ongoing gas flaring, noting that the country cannot be committed to zero net emission and be flaring gas at the same time.
On the high price of cooking gas which has resulted in the cutting down of trees to cook their food, the minister said, “I am extremely worried because the rate of cutting down trees has increased.
She said government is working hard and creating alternative for the people in the devastated Niger Delta area in order to move them away from further polluting the environment.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has visited Opu Nembe to assess the level of damage caused Oil Mining License(OML) 29 oil spillage at Santa Barbara Oil field with an assurance to the people that President Muhammadu Buhari was on the side of the people and shares their concern.
Buhari, who is the Minister of Petroleum, had, last Tuesday, broken his silence over the ravaging oil spill, expressing worry on the level of destruction and gave Sylva the marching order to visit the site to ascertain the true position of things.
The oil well is one of the yet to be decommissioned oil wells inherited by Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company (AEEPCO), from Shell Petroleum Development Company(SPDC).
Sylva, who landed in Nembe in a helicopter, was accompanied by the federal representative for Nembe/Brass Federal constituency, Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr Gbenga Komolafe.
In a brief interview, Sylva declared that Buhari was feeling the pains of the people.
“It is a very sad development but these things happen. They are operational hazards of the business. Mr President is very concerned personally himself and that is why he asks us his team to come and inspect and make sure that the appropriate action is taken to ameliorate the situation.
“It is not just me that feels their pain, Mr President feels their pain and that is why he personally instructed me and the CEO of the Upstream Regulatory Authority to come and actually assess the situation and take appropriate actions to ensure the people are taken care of.”
From the Nembe Jetty, Sylva and his entourage with military escort proceeded on a 30 minutes boat ride to the Santa Barbara Oil field.
However for safety concerns, the entourage had to stop within one kilometre to the leaking well head to assess the spill situation from a drone picture.
Speaking in an interview after assessing the situation, Sylva reiterated Buhari’s support for the people and commended their peaceful disposition.
He expressed satisfaction with the efforts being made by Aiteo to contain the spill and stop it completely.
“The President is very concerned with what is happening. You know what we are doing as a government in Ogoni. We don’t want that to happen in Nembe. It is an accident and nobody can stop an accident. But when an accident happens, we also want to see that steps are taken to correct things. As sent by the President, we have gone to the site and we can see that the company is making reasonable efforts to contain the spill. The company has assured that the spill would be contained. They have given us a commitment of two days to stop the spill.
“We would like to use this opportunity to thank the community for being peaceful and not taking laws into their hands. We are quite happy that they took this disposition. Mr President is always on the side of the people. We are not on the side of the company and we want to ensure the company does the right thing.”
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.