The National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA) has explained that due to lack of modern technological innovations in securing pipelines, as well as legislation for its operations, oil spill incidences would continue in the Niger Delta.
Director General of the agency, Idris Musa, who stated this while reacting to recent oil spill in Ogoni land, said that the government needs to take necessary measures to forestall future pipeline leakages through vandalism in the area.
Musa noted that there was attempt to amend the Act in 7th, 8th and 9th National Assembly to empower the agency to handle spill incidences but was stepped down at the third reading.
He argued that in oil-producing countries like Chad,Gabon, Angola, Cameroon, Libya,there are no incidences of oil spill or pipeline leakages, pointing out that Nigeria has recorded the highest in the world.
Musa said: “We have tried to sensitize the people in the oil-rich communities on the danger of spill, especially in the Niger Delta, for them to be in the vanguard of safeguarding national assets in their domain.”
The NOSDRA boss, therefore, said that the only things the Federal Government needs are a technology that will monitor pipelines and a legal framework for its operation, not human surveillance in the coastal and high forest.
