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*Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State (Nigeria) Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, has urged the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to support states in tackling the menace of flooding instead of just issuing alerts. Speaking in Government House, Yenagoa, on Monday when he received the leadership of Obogoro community on a courtesy visit, Governor Diri noted that tackling flood, erosion and other environmental challenges was costly and cannot be single-handedly handled by states alone. The governor said almost all communities in the state were affected by constant flooding and erosion, stressing that the government was doing everything within available resources to address the issues. Diri said as part of efforts to tackle flooding and erosion, his administration has set up a flood and erosion control agency to proffer holistic solution to the environmental issues. He stated that the government was already addressing the coastal erosion in Obogoro community in Yenago...

* Sadiya Umar Farouk (Nigeria) Ijaw Elders Forum,   IFF, has come hard on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk, for saying that Bayelsa State is not one of the 10 top states affected by flood. The minister’s assertion followed the remark recently made by the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, that she was not humane in treating areas affected by floods in Bayelsa and other parts of the South-South. Farouk, who recently appeared at the ministerial media briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, had listed Jigawa, Anambra and Kogi as the worst affected states based on the number of displaced persons and the total deaths recorded.  But reacting in a release issued in Lagos by its General Secretary, Mr. Efiye Bribena, the group described the statement as callous, reckless, insensitive and irresponsible.  While challenging the...

(Nigeria) A new report by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project , SERAP , has revealed how “communities in the Niger Delta continue to live in depressing and deplorable conditions, despite the fact that the wealth derived from these areas is the main economic mainstay for the country.” According to the report, “The communities in the Niger Delta remain the poorest in the country.” The 82 pages report was launched on Wednesday , in Lagos, ent itled: ‘We Are All Vulnerable Here’: How Lack of Transparency and Accountability is Fuelling Human Rights Violations in the Niger Delta. The report presented to the media by Dr. Olubunmi Afinowi, Faculty of Law of the University of Lagos, discloses that “The region remains deeply in the grips of squalor, poverty, and environmental degradation.” The report shows that, “Corruption contributes to poverty and consequential suffering of many people in the Niger Delta. The right s of the people to a clean, safe and healthy enviro...

(Nigeria) The Asere, Arogbo Ijaw community of Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, has, cried out to the Federal Government that Conoil Producing   Limited was stoking grave threat to peace and security in the oil rich area. In a statement by leaders of the communities, namely Bonsuwe Ominidougha, Chairman, Ijaw National Congress, INC, Akure, Ondo State Chapter,   Pastor Ebitimi Dio- Posibi, Chairman, INC, Lagos State Chapter and Dr. James Ashida, Chairman, Arogbo-Ijaw Community Organisation, AICO, they called the Federal   Government to come to the rescue of the jolted communities. INC and the community leaders alleged that Conoil Producing Limited was forcing itself into operations in the area without adherence to the procedures and regulations guiding the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. The body said that the movement of the oil firm had caused serious threat to peace and security in the area. The leaders lamented that Conoil blatantly refused to directly ...

*Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (Nigeria) Ongoing efforts to end open defecation in Nigeria by 2025 has received a boost with the approval of measures to accelerate access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH,  by the Clean Nigeria Steering Committee chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.   A meeting of the committee presided over by Prof. Osinbajo virtually, on Wednesday approved prayers contained in the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign”, 2022 mid-year report.   Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu had earlier in a presentation on the ongoing Clean Nigeria campaign, noted slow advancement in the finalization and roll out of the Tax Credit Scheme and Blue Bond Programme as part of challenges affecting the country-wide campaign.   The prayers to the steering committee approved during the meeting: “Support strong advocacy to policy makers at sub national level for prioritization and funding of campaign implementation. “Support stron...

(Nigeria) The Federal Government has solicited for collaborations on how to bridge housing deficits in the country for national development. Mr Jide Ode-Martins, the Director, Planning Research and Statistics in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, made call at 11th meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development on Monday in Sokoto. Martins said this year's meeting tagged '' Housing Our People, by All of Government and All Our People,'' was chosen in a bid to further address the housing needs of Nigerians. “Federal Government alone cannot address the gab in housing development across the country which brings to focus the  state governments and private sector as critical stakeholders. “ It was aimed to have maximum collaboration to address the housing challenges by bringing to the forefront desirable strategies to increase the stock of affordable houses to Nigerians '' Ode-Martins said. He added that the meeting would be precede...

(Nigeria) Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, in collaboration with several other Climate Justice Activist groups and the people of Niger Delta, have called on Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to stop exploring fossil fuel in Nigeria and clean up areas affected by its operations in the Niger Delta. The groups made the call at a peoples' Annual General Meeting, AGM, held ahead of Shell's 2022 AGM in London and Netherlands, during which they also urged Shell investors, particularly the Church of England, to withdraw its moral support to the company, until it was ready to revise its 2021 Energy Transition Strategy, and align with the Paris Agreement, which stipulates 'limiting increase in global temperature to 1.5 degrees celcius above pre- industrial level.' The groups specifically urged participants at the London / Netherland AGM, to prevail on Shell Nigeria to comply with the Paris Agreement as they called on the Federal Government ...

(Nigeria) The Senate has urged the Federal Government and State Governments to, as a matter of urgency, direct the Ecological Fund Office and other relevant agencies to assist in the control and rehabilitation of erosion sites in the various states of the country. The call was contained in resolutions reached by the chamber sequel to the consideration of a motion during plenary on Wednesday. The motion entitled, “The menace of gully erosion in Afashio and Afowa communities of Edo North,” was sponsored by Senator Francis Alimikhena (Edo North). Alimikhena, in his presentation, underscored the need for the preservation, restoration and maintenance of the ecological environment of local communities. According to the lawmaker, doing so would ensure the safe movement of citizens, easy transportation of goods, services, as well as guarantee peace, security and well-being of Nigerians. He noted that the ecological environment of two communities in Edo North senatorial district - Afa...

*Illegal oil refining in Niger Delta (Nigeria) The Senate, on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to introduce pollution tax on those involved in economic sabotage by engaging in illegal refining of crude products in oil producing areas of the country.   The chamber also called on the Federal Government to  sanction security agencies culpable of sabotaging the nation’s interest by vandalising pipeline installations and facilities.  These were part of resolutions reached by the Senate on a motion entitled, “curbing soot’s particulate droppings, health hazards concerns and economic sabotage by illegal refining of crude products in Rivers State.” The motion was sponsored by Senator George Sekibo ( Rivers East), and co-sponsored by seven other lawmakers. Sekibo, in his presentation, noted that droppings of unidentifiable sooty particulates in Rivers State, suspected to be after effects of incomplete crude refining process has taken a more dangerous dimension....

(Nigeria) The Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company said it has put off the oil spillage from the wellhead in Nembe Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State. The wellhead blew up on November 5, 2021, in the Santa Barbara South field in Nembe, blasting water, gas and oil in the area. The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, had expressed displeasure on the high volume of crude oil being spilt continuously to many more communities and its effect on the economic life of residents but the oil company said it was working to address the problem. However, in a statement on Wednesday, the company said it had eventually put a stop to the spillage while other secondary activities would be carried out on the wellhead. The statement read in part, “To the glory Of God, we have put out the leak at SBAS-1.  We are grateful for all the support. We have successfully installed control packages on both arms, rig up pump on the long string and pump open the ball valve.  “We have close...

(Nigeria) President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has called on the Federal Government through its relevant agencies to penalise indigenous oil companies responsible for the devastation of host communities where they operate. Lawan made the call in his concluding remarks after the Senate considered a motion on “the extremely urgent need to stop the continuous crude oil and gas blow out spill at Santa Barbara well 1, OML 29 operated by AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited in Opu Nembe, Bayelsa State.” The motion was sponsored by Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo (Bayelsa East). The lawmaker,  while coming under order 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules, noted with concern the continuous gushing and spewing of oil and gas into the waterways and mangrove vegetation of Opu Nembe area of Bayelsa state, from a long sealed, non producing oil well 1, Santa Barbara OML 29 belonging to AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited. “Worried that even though sa...

(Nigeria) The Senate has urged the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited to accelerate environmental action on remediating Ogboinbiri community affected by crude oil spill in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State within the next ninety days. This was just as the chamber commended the oil company for providing some monetary compensation to the affected community as consolation for the hardship caused by the spill. The call by the upper chamber was contained in recommendations adopted by the Senate after it considered a report by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over the alleged failure by Agip Oil Company to pay compensation to the community affected by crude oil spillage. Chairman of the Committee, Patrick Akinyelure, in his presentation, said the panel received a petition from Dunobene Perekeme on behalf of Ogboinbiri community.  According to him, the Committee in its findings observed that the incident of oil spill occurred on June 5, 2021, duri...

*Dakuku Peterside (Nigeria) The 2015 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Dr Dakuku Peterside has called on Governor Nyesom Wike to urgently reactivate the drainage master plan put in place by his predecessor, Chibuike Amaechi. Dr Peterside spoke against the terrible flooding being experienced in several parts of Port Harcourt and Rivers state at large.  He lamented that Rivers people have suffered untold hardship as a result of the flooding, which had long ago been predicted by Nigeria Metrological Agency, NIMET, with the state featuring prominently.  According to him, former Governor Chibuike Amaechi's administration had put in place a drainage master plan for the city of Port Harcourt and was already being executed before he left office in 2015 but was however abandoned by Wike for political reasons.      Peterside, a former commissioner of works in Rivers State, blamed the Wike-led administration for not...

(Nigeria) Ogun State Development Support Group, OSDG, has commended the state House of Assembly for mediating in a land dispute involving a popular estate agent, Alhaji Mutairu Owoeye and some Community Development Associations within Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state. The group in a statement by Richard Ogundina, its spokesperson also applauded Alhaji Owoeye for honouring Assembly’s invitation following a petition written to the House by the community.    The statement added that for any government to make significant impacts, the legislative arm of government especially must be alert to the needs and yearning of the people. The statement observed that Owoeye on his own appeared before the state House of Assembly to clarify issues that were raised against him, describing his attitude as a mark of a responsible citizen. Meanwhile, Owoeye who appeared before the Ogun State House of Assembly, described the meeting as cordial, adding that he had nothing to hide a...

(Nigeria) To enhance operations of the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has provided three automatic Weather Observation Stations in support of NIHSA. Speaking in Abuja, at the unveiling of the 2021 annual flood outlook by the NHSA, NEMA's Director-General, AVM Muhammadu Muhammed (retd) said the weather stations which were at various stages of installations are located in Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and Federal University, Kashere. According to Muhammed, NEMA values “collaboration with our partners and are ready to strengthen the multi-agency approach to disaster risk reduction.” He said the weather stations which are at various stages of installations located in Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and Federal University, Kashere said the weather stations which are at various stages of installations located in Nasarawa State University, Keffi; E...

(Nigeria) The House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities has assured that the legislature will not spare any effort to ensure environmental justice and restoration of livelihoods for communities that have suffered oil spills and other forms of negative environmental impact from petroleum exploration and production activities. Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Dumnamene Dekor in a statement on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said, “The Committee makes this assurance against the background of recent reported oil spills in parts of the Niger Delta region, including Nembe in Bayelsa State and Gbaramatu in Delta State, among others. “The Committee is dismayed by the grave distortions and desecration of the environment as well as the grievous discomfort, dislocation and despair the spills have affected in the lives and living conditions of citizens and residents of the affected communities. “Being fully aware of its mandate seized u...

(Nigeria) Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited HEOSL, operator of OML30, said it has done the needful and taken all necessary steps in line with best environmental practices to curtail the oil spill in Erhioke community.   In a statement on Thursday, entitled ''Re: Delta communities threaten to shut down oil firm over oil spill,” HEOSL also debunked the false allegation against it, noting that the publication by some persons in the community was done to mislead the public. It read, “On take-over of Operatorship in 2017, the Kokori bund wall had integrity issues which led hydrocarbon contained within the bund wall to leak into the environment. The affected communities brought it to the attention of both HEOSL and the National Oil Spill Detection And Regulatory Agency “NOSDRA” on September 14, 2017. ''Consequently, NOSDRA carried out an onsite damage assessment on the 26th of July 2018 with all stakeholders in attendance. Following this visit, HEOSL assigned...

*Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN (Nigeria) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has said that Nigeria was on the path of ensuring more access to affordable, reliable energy for its populace, as well as transitioning to the use of cleaner energy in line with the net-zero emissions global target, but an end of international funding for gas as a fossil fuel would create dire challenges for gas-producing countries especially in Africa. Osinbajo stated this on Thursday,   during the virtual roundtable meeting of the Africa Regional Heads of Government Commonwealth Roundtable, which was chaired by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. Other African leaders at the summit included the Presidents of Rwanda, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Botswana and Gambia. The Commonwealth Secretary General, the Right Hon. Patricia Scotland, QC, was also at the meeting. The Vice President, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the roundtable, noted that Nigeria is already transitioning...

Managing Director of the Corporation, Engr  Martin Okwor (Nigeria) The Enugu State Water Corporation said that it commenced recruitment of 104 staff of the Corporation, in furtherance of the sheer determination of the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to reposition the agency and drastically tackle the inherent challenges in the water sector. The State Water Corporation, on April 8, 2021, through an internal and external advertisement, called for application for 39 posts in 12 units, namely Engineering, Planning and Design, Operations and Maintenance, Mechanical Electrical Group, Ajali Technical Crews, Oji River Stations, and Zonal Offices Maintenance Teams. Other units are Nsukka Zone, Finance, Public Relations, and Administration. Speaking on the recruitment exercise, the Managing Director of the Corporation, Engr   Martin Okwor, noted that many workers of the corporation lack modern skills to drive the current utility concern for optimal result and servic...

Nigerian senate (Nigeria) The Senate, on Wednesday, passed a bill seeking to establish the National Food Reserve Agency, NFRA. The passage of the bill followed the consideration of the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. In his presentation, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC, Nasarawa West), said the National Food Reserve Agency Bill seeks to develop the agricultural sector by ensuring national food security and income through marketing and storage services, as a well as address emergency food crisis. “The time is apt to put machine ties in place for the development of the agricultural sector. The National Food Reserve Agency Bill is one of the tools to make this possible, especially in a period of flood, famine and other emergency situations. “The bill recognizes the need to fill the apparent gap in Agricultural Development and coordination of programmes and projects in the country with the collaboration of National and Internati...