A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has expressed concerns over the devastating impacts of oil and gas pollution, noting that methane emissions have led to severe cases of climate change, deforestation and the destruction of human and environmental ecosystems.
Disturbed by the frequent plodding of the earth by the local oil exploration and exploitation firms, and the International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the Niger Delta region, the CSOs warned that unless the federal government took urgent steps to call the firms to order, the communities risked being extinct.
Therefore, participants under the aegis of the Network Advancement Program for Poverty and Disaster Risk Reduction (NAPPDRR), working in partnership with Policy Alert (PA), at a stakeholders’ meeting at the oil and gas community of Upenekang, in the Ibeno local government area of Akwa Ibom State, stressed the need for those responsible to be held to account.
The executive director, NAPPDRR, Hon. Emem Edoho, at the Town Hall meeting tagged, “Strengthening Public Accountability of Methane Emissions Reduction Efforts in the Host Communities”, called for holistic action and strong advocacy to stem the scourge and attendant humanitarian crises.
He noted that the recent report by the Nigeria Extractive Industry and Transparency Initiative (NEITI), which indicted Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) as a major culprit in methane emissions, calls for an urgent policy framework and political will to hold the firm to account.
A communique at the end of the Town Hall summit over the weekend, which was bankrolled by the Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI) and CJID, emphasised that human, aquatic, wild and domestic lives, including their ecosystems, were on the verge of being totally degraded by the menace.
“The recent NEITI Emissions Data Report for 2024, which highlights the methane emissions from Mobil Producing Nigeria’s operations, underscores the urgency of our mission.
“As we review the data and its implications, it is clear that our communities are bearing the brunt of environmental degradation and climate change.
“At NAPPDRR, through the support from CJID, and NRGI, and strategic partnership and collaboration with our partners like the Policy Alert, we believe that public accountability is key to achieving meaningful change.
“We must ensure that those responsible for methane emissions are held accountable and that our communities receive the support and resources they need to thrive.
“Through this Town Hall meeting, we aim to amplify the voices of our communities, foster a culture of transparency, and push for policies that prioritize people and the planet. We will engage with the NEITI report’s findings, discuss the implications for our communities, and chart a path forward that ensures methane emissions reduction efforts are not just rhetoric, but a reality that benefits our communities and the environment.
“Let us use this platform to hold meaningful discussions, share knowledge, and build a collective vision for a more just and sustainable future. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that our communities receive the justice and support they deserve,” Edoho, who read the communique stressed.
