The Akwa Ibom state government is weighing the possibility of revoking the Certificates of Ownerships (C of O) of companies found responsible for frequent oil spillages in the state.
This is even as the state government has declared its readiness to work with the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) in addressing oil spills, mining impacts, waste and other environmental issues bedevilling the state.
The permanent secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Iquo Abia, disclosed this, while receiving EDEN team led by executive director, Chima Williams on behalf of the Commissioner, in Uyo. The team included the deputy executive director, Alagoa Morris, EDEN Board member, Philip Jakpor and the programme manager, media, Elvira Jordan.
Abia commended EDEN for its work and resilience towards the environment, while revealing that the ministry would collaborate with EDEN in the areas of interest. She also gave insight into some actions that have been taken by the ministry and the National Oil Spill Detection and Remediation Agency (NOSDRA) to determine the cause of the spill in Ibeno, even as she revealed that the ministry would engage stakeholders on actions to be taken.
Abia agreed that the excesses of the oil multinationals in the state need to be monitored with kin interest, with the help of the judiciary, and thus, the idea raised by EDEN on the revocation of Certificate of Ownerships of airing companies was worth considering as a means of ensuring the protection of the environmental rights of the people. She also acknowledged the idea of developing an environmental audit report of Akwa Ibom as suggested by the EDEN team, as this will facilitate a much needed cleanup in the oil producing areas in Akwa Ibom state and the entire Niger Delta.
While commenting on the recent Public Hearing on Mining by the National Assembly, Abia frowned that the states were not carried along in the process, as the state and local governments are stakeholders on issues involving the environment and mineral resources, and should be included in such processes.
She stated that the governor of Akwa Ibom state is particular about environmental safety and is willing to collaborate with EDEN in taking further steps to protect the environmental rights of the people in Akwa Ibom state.
Chima Williams who led the delegation stressed that it is the duty of the government to protect its people, and thus, the protection of the environment and the livelihoods of the people is of utmost importance. According to him, “where the government feels restricted in its work, EDEN as a civil society organisation that believes in environmental rights can be a voice that advocates for better laws, regulations and actions that protects host communities from the multinationals”.
While calling for stringent laws against multinational companies that are guilty of environmental pollution, Williams called on the Akwa Ibom state government to adopt the penalty of revoking the Certificate of Ownership on the properties of extractive companies found wanting, as a deterrent against careless operations and disregard for host communities .
