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NGO, Bayelsa Govt inaugurate committee to tackle child health safety from oil spillage, pollution
Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa.
The Bayelsa state government in partnership with an NGO,the stakeholders alliance for corporate accountability, (SACA) has inaugurated committee to tackle child health safety from oil spillage, pollution in the state.
The government stated this on Thursday at the inauguration ceremony of a project tagged: ‘The child-driven safeguarding project at at school level’ which was carried out by SACA inconjunction with the state’s Ministries of Education,Health and Environment as well as the catholic education board and the national association of proprietors of private schools(NAPPS),in Yenagoa,the state capital.
In a goodwill messages delivered by the trio of the state commissioners of Education, Dr.Gentle Emelah, his Environment and Health counterparts,Hon.Iselema Gbaranbiri and Dr Pabara Igwele,represented by Dr Wisdom Sawyer,Permanent secretary Health,Mr Christopher Ewhrudjakpo,Permanent secretary Environment and Mr Ere Wakedei,Director,Climate change,Ministry of Environment,respectively,the government stated that it was ready to foster a stronger partnership with the NGO to safeguard the lives of both born and yet to be birthed children, across the state from oil related pollutions.
The state government commended SACA for taking the awareness and advocacy campaign for an hydrocarbon pollution-free society to schools in the state,saying that the awareness created would immensely address the problems of environmental hazards associated with exploitation and exploration of oil across the state.
Speaking on the rational behind the ceremony,Executive Director,SACA,Mr Kingsley Ozegbe decried the spate of oil pollution in the state,advising that all stakeholders must synergies towards a possible ending of the dangers occasioned by spills.
He stated that the NGO was resolved to ending oil related environmental hazards in the Niger Delta region, just as he said research conducted by the NGO through its partnering organizations show that no fewer than 16,000 children had died due to living in environments not more than 20km distance from sites of oil spills.
“Our children born and yet unborn are exposed to dangers of oil spills,our findings showed that about 16,000 children have died due to living in a distance not more than 20km from sites of oil spills acroos the Niger Delta”, he said.
“So we wanted to bring this awareness to our children in both public and private schools across the state the the inauguration of the Child-Driven safeguarding project at the school level in the state”, he added.
Meanwhile,the chairperson of the SACA project management committee(PMC) who also doubles as the chairperson, national assiciation of proprietors of private schools(NAPPS),Bayelsa state chapter,Dr (Mrs) Christiana McDonald have said proprietors of schools in the state have demonstrated their willingness to continue partnering SACA in the fight against oil spills and other hydrocarbon related environmental hazards.
” Permit me to remind us that both the rich and the poor, educated and uneducated
all face the risks in terms of oil spillage but the most vulnerable i.e. women,
children, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities are sadly more prone to
become victims.
” Victims and their families face extreme poverty, in addition to the
physical and psychological consequences but am hopeful that today’s event will utilize the power of the tripartite structure of the three ministries represented here
today i.e. the Bayelsa State ministries of Education, Environment and Health with
the Catholic Education Board and the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) on the other side which represent a positive spirit of collaboration to improve on the challenges of oil spillages in Bayelsa State.”
She restated that though her committee was recently inaugurated,the inauguration of the child- Driven safeguarding project at the school level was capable of fast tracking the advocacy by SACA,just as she commended the state government for showing commitment in the project.
Part of the fall out of the inauguration ceremony was the directive by the Bayelsa state government to schools in the state to form a 20-member child safeguarding club in all the ‘child-driven safeguarding’pilot schools across the state on or before 9th,July,202,while SACA would assist the pilot schools to develop child safeguarding policy, amongst others.
July 1, 2021
N82B Oil Spillage Judgement: A’Ibom community gives ExxonMobil 14days ultimatum
Speculations are rife that Ibeno Community in Akwa ibom state may go on warpath if at the expiration of the 14 days ordered by a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in a judgement debt on Monday, June 21, 2021 for Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to pay them the sum of N81.9 billion as cumulative damages over oil spillage is not heeded.
Reacting to the Federal High Court’s judgement, the oil rich community said their victory in the case, instituted since 2012 has justified their pursuits for justice and fairness, stating that by that landmark judgement, the judiciary in Nigeria has re-enacted public trust as being the last hope of the common man as well as for those who pursue their rights legally.
The Community therefore urged Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to honour the court judgement by paying them the sum of N81.9 billion within the 14 days as ordered by the court without delay.
Speaking at an emergency town hall meeting with stakeholders of Ibeno Community in his palace, the Paramount Ruler of Ibeno Local Government Areas, HRM Owong (Dr.) Effiong Archianga, said over the years, “multinational oil exploration and production companies have been in conflicts with host communities over oil spillages and with consequences of environmental degradation, negative socio-economic impacts, health hazards coupled with pollution of our ecosystem which affects our occupation as fishermen and farmers.”
The traditional ruler, who is Immediate Past National President, Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON) said his people remained grateful to the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General and members of the Jury, for standing by Ibeno people for the past nine years during their legal battle with ExxonMobil.
According to them, “It is against this background that the entire people of Ibeno Land at home and in diaspora wish to thank you severally and individually especially the lead Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Taiwo Taiwo for the landmark judgment of Monday, 21st June, 2021, for Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to pay the sum of N81.9 billion as cumulative damages to the oil communities in Ibeno within 14days and that failure to pay within the stipulated time would attract an accruable interest of 8 per cent on the principal sum annually.”
According to him, “we are indeed grateful to all persons whom the Almighty God used as instrument to perfect this judgment in favour of Ibeno people after nine years of stressful and legal contest with MPNU and NNPC. Indeed, this is historic record for the Judiciary. I hope the edition of Nigerian Weekly Law Reports would chronicle this in their next edition.
“We lack adequate words to express the depth of our gratitude to you but we pray the good Lord to bless and reward each and every one bountifully and to grant the jurists the grace and more wisdom to continue to protect the defend less citizens in this great country against injustice and oppression.
“We equally appreciate Ibeno Legal team for their steadfastness and for the job well done and we call for concerted efforts to enforce the judgment.
At the stakeholders meeting, the community observed a minute silence for five dead members of the 10-Member plaintiffs, who represented themselves and on behalf of the people and members of Ibeno Clan in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State in the case: Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/54/2012 filed through their lawyer, Lucius Nwosu, SAN with a claim of N100billion.
The plaintiffs included Obong (Dr.) Effiong B. Archianga, JP; Obong Daniel A. Udomfiok; Obong Daniel Peter Ekpo (Late); Obong Bassey Akpanika, JP, (Late); Chief Owon Akpanowong (Late); Williams Henry Mkpah; Obongonwan Besie Nyakpa (Late); Chief Edmond Okon; Chief Isuamdono l. Okon (Late) and Chief Okutinyang Inyang.
June 28, 2021
Oil Spillage: High Court Awards N82bn Damages Against NNPC
The Federal High Court in Abuja has awarded the sum of N82 billion as general damages against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited over oil spillage, in Ibeno Community within Ibeno LGA, Akwa Ibom State.
Delivering judgment, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, ordered the oil corporations, to pay the sum in 14 days, or pay eight percent of the sum, per annum.
Justice Taiwo had earlier struck out ExxonMobil from the list of defendants, on account of being an American registered company, leaving the NNPC and Mobil producing Nigeria Unlimited.
The court held that the oral and documentary evidence produced by Mobil, was not helpful in their case, describing them as serving pre-determined assets.
According to Justice Taiwo, the action of Mobil is a clear violation of section 11 of the oil pipeline act that makes it mandatory for the oil companies to monitor and fix defective pipelines.
June 21, 2021