Niger Delta governors demand tougher environmental laws
From Henry Chukwurah & Ezedike Joshua, Port Harcourt
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Worried over threats of environmental degradation in their states, governors of the South South states have asked the Federal Government to impose tougher regulations to guide oil exploration in the region.
They made the demand in a two-page communiqué issued in the wee hours of Saturday at the end of their meeting in Port Harcourt.
In attendance were the governors of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ondo and Rivers states. The governors reasoned that, “stronger regulations” would ensure the protection of the environment in their states.
They noted that oil spillage caused by the activities of oil companies in the Niger Delta was degrading the region’s environment. They also want the Federal Government to expedite action on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill aimed at ensuring that communities benefit from oil resources exploited in their area.
They commended President Goodluck Jonathan “for the maturity with which he has steered the affairs of state so far” and pledged their support for his efforts to ensure peace and development in the country.
The governors also gave the President thumbs-up for involving them in the consultative process on the post-amnesty programme.
The governors of six of the core states resolved to set up the B-R-A-C-E-D Commission as a private sector initiative to attract investments to the region while November 18 and 19 was fixed as the date for this year’s South South Economic Summit to be held in Asaba, Delta State. In a related development, the governors of the nine-member states of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) met with the board and management of the commission to resolve the lingering crisis.
Briefing reporters on the development, the host governor, Chibuike Amaechi, said their intervention followed a directive from the President. “We believe that the issues have been properly addressed and we think that from today there would be improvement. Mr. President has to be briefed first before other details of the meeting can be made public,” he said.
The governor of Imo State was however absent from the meeting.
From Henry Chukwurah & Ezedike Joshua, Port Harcourt
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Worried over threats of environmental degradation in their states, governors of the South South states have asked the Federal Government to impose tougher regulations to guide oil exploration in the region.
They made the demand in a two-page communiqué issued in the wee hours of Saturday at the end of their meeting in Port Harcourt.
In attendance were the governors of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ondo and Rivers states. The governors reasoned that, “stronger regulations” would ensure the protection of the environment in their states.
They noted that oil spillage caused by the activities of oil companies in the Niger Delta was degrading the region’s environment. They also want the Federal Government to expedite action on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill aimed at ensuring that communities benefit from oil resources exploited in their area.
They commended President Goodluck Jonathan “for the maturity with which he has steered the affairs of state so far” and pledged their support for his efforts to ensure peace and development in the country.
The governors also gave the President thumbs-up for involving them in the consultative process on the post-amnesty programme.
The governors of six of the core states resolved to set up the B-R-A-C-E-D Commission as a private sector initiative to attract investments to the region while November 18 and 19 was fixed as the date for this year’s South South Economic Summit to be held in Asaba, Delta State. In a related development, the governors of the nine-member states of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) met with the board and management of the commission to resolve the lingering crisis.
Briefing reporters on the development, the host governor, Chibuike Amaechi, said their intervention followed a directive from the President. “We believe that the issues have been properly addressed and we think that from today there would be improvement. Mr. President has to be briefed first before other details of the meeting can be made public,” he said.
The governor of Imo State was however absent from the meeting.
