We’ll continue partnership to address oil spill in Nigeria- NOSDRA DG
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) says it will continue to partner relevant stakeholders toward addressing oil spills in the country.
NOSDRA Director-General, Chukwuemeka Woke, disclosed on Monday in Abuja when he met with a delegation of the Green Clean Innovation Hub, led its Chief Executive, Mr Promise Amaha.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the occasion is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a joint hosting of an International Oil Spill Summit and Expo.
The summit is expected to serve as a high-level platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration among industry players, government agencies, community leaders, and environmental experts.
It will bring together local and international stakeholders to address the environmental, economic, and social impacts of oil spills, as well as to showcase new technologies, policies, and strategies for spill prevention, detection, and response.
Woke said that the partnership with the organisation has been beneficial to NOSDRA and the country as a whole since the collaboration started in 2012.
“This is a very critical conference that will bring together all key stakeholders in our environmental space. We will have operators from the oil and gas industry, host communities, traditional rulers, civil society organizations, security agencies, and the media in attendance.
“This platform will help bridge existing gaps, resolve challenges, and foster better understanding among all parties,” he said.
Woke added that the forthcoming summit was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
He noted that the gathering would play a key role in advancing Nigeria’s environmental protection goals by fostering collaboration, promoting innovation, and strengthening the country’s capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to oil spill incidents.
“If we have a one-stop platform that unites all stakeholders, I believe many of the issues affecting our mandate will be addressed, and all sectors will work together more effectively.
‘’This decision is in the right direction, and I am confident we will achieve what we have set out to do.”
Also speaking, Amaha thanked NOSDRA for the partnership, describing it as a “giant step” in the right direction.
“The Expo will mark the launch of the first-ever Oil Spill Host Communities in Renewed Hope Initiative.
‘’We will also unveil strategic measures to provide a strong platform for greater climate stakeholder engagement, with communities integrated into surveillance, reporting, and capacity building to drive NOSDRA’s mandate on oil spill detection and response,” he said.
By Nana Musa
