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Monday, April 24, 2006
The Nigerian government has set up a National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NORSDA). The agency will be in charge of monitoring the coastal waters and determining the level of oil spills, as well as their impact on the environment and supervise clean ups.
In addition, NORSDA will also embark on the monitoring of integrity testing of pipelines by oil companies. In an effort to aid the agency Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Helen Esuene, has called on oil companies to submit maps of their pipeline networks. The companies are also asked provide the types of product the lines carry, the source of the product and its final destination. Integrity testing on the pipelines is expected to take place before the end of July.
According to Esuene the industry has wreaked havoc on Nigeria’s environment. In order to contain further environmental destruction the Federal Ministry of Environment is attempting to partner with the heads of oil and gas companies in the region to come up with solutions for the oil spills and pipeline vandalism. At a meeting with oil and gas companies, Esuene said aside the numerous economic importance of the sector, the havoc wreaked on the environment and the means of livelihood of the rural communities where exploration activities take place is deplorable. “The importance of the oil and gas industry to the economy of the nation in particular, and the world in general is enormous. The sector is also a veritable source of employment generation for the teaming population in the country. However, the havoc wreaked on the environment and the rural communities where exploration activities take place is deplorable,” she said. She called on companies to carryout restoration activities in the swamplands of Nigeria, which were defaced to create canals for rigging activities, saying, “such lands should be restored back to their original state.”
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