PRESS RELEASE
Dateline: Abuja, Thursday, October 11, 2012
Subject: NOSDRA SEEKS CLOSER COLLABORATION WITH UNDP
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has sought for more support
and collaboration from the United National Development Programme (UNDP) to enable it realize
its mandate in the area of oil spil management in the country. The Director-General/Chief
Executive of NOSDRA,Sir peter Idabor, made this request when the Deputy-Country
Representative (Programme) of the UNGP in Nigeria, Mr. Jan Thoma Hiemstra, paid him a
country visit in this office in Abuja on Thursday. Sir Idabor acknowledged several supports the
UNDP had rendered to his agency, particularly the assistance in the Development of its
regulations and strengthening of its policy framework for oil spil management under the
international development body’s Control programme action plan (CPAP).
He mentioned some of them as Development of the Nationl Environment Guidelines and
Regulations for Oil Spil and oily Wastes Management in Nigeria (CPAP 2009/2012),
Development of the Nationl Guidelines and Regulations for Oil Spil Recovery, Clean-up,
Remediation and Damage Assessment (CPAP 2009/2010) and Development of the National
Guidelines and Standard for Oil Spil Compensation for Nigeria(CPAP 2010/2011) Other are
Development of Technical Guidance Manual for Oil Spil and Oily waste in
Nigeria(CPAP2010/2011) and Activation of the National for Oil Spil Contingebcy Plan (NOSCP)
for the first time (CPAP2011). While acknowledging such assistance, the Director-General
called on the UNDP to offer support to NOSDRA in area such as human capacity building
(Training- the-Trainer Programme), National Stakrholders’ Workshop for the Reviwe and
Validation of the National Dispersant Use policy for Nigeria slated to hold in December,
Technical Guidance for the preparation and implementation of Spill Prevention, Control and
Country- measure Plan (SPCCP) and standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Agency’s
Laboratories. Other areas of support the NOSDRA boss south from the UNDP are Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Agency’s Laboratories, pilot project on conversion of
remediated burrow pits into fish ponds, study and research of Napa pslm to explor its use for
degraded land reclamation and restoration of biodiversity and research and development of
technical policy guideline for oil pipeline protection as a regulatory requirement for oil industry
operations. Speaking earlier during the visit, the Deputy-Country Representative (Programme)
of the UNDP noted that the willingness of his organization to collaborate with NOSDRA was
informed by its unrelenting commitment to ensure environment sustainability and good
environment governance in the country over the years. Emphasising that oil pollution was one of
the development challenges facing Nigeria, Mr. Hiemstra disclosed that the UNDP’s strategic
co-operation with NOSDRA was aimed at ensuring a zero-tolerance for pollution in the country’s
oil and gas industry.He assure that the United National body would assist the agency in capacity
development of its staff, as well as development of policies and programme geart towards
ensuring environment sustainability in the oil and gas sector.
PRESS RELEASE
Dateline: Abuja, Wednesday, September12, 2012.
Subject: Civic Groups Seek NOSDRA’s Partnership on Oil Spill Control.
A combined team of civic society organization (CSOs) namely Environmental Right
Action/Friends of the Earth (ERA/FoE) and Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (AFAN),
have sought the partnership of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency
(NOSDRA) in the area of safeguarding the environment from oil pollution.The two civic group
made the request during their courtesy visit to the Director-General/Chief executive officer
(DG/CEO) of NOSDRA, Sir peter Idabor, in his office in Abuja on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, the leader of the team, Barrister Chima Williams of ERA/FoE, notrd
that members has watched with keen interest the commendable efforts of NOSDRA in oil spill
management in Nigeria despite challenges facing it and therefore, ezpressed willingness to
partner with the agency in protecting the Nigeria environment for the good of Nigerians.
Williams, who noted that oil companies in the country were major poullters of the environment,
emphasized the collective responsibility of regulatory bodies like NOSDRA and the CSOs in
safeguarding the endangered ecosystem.
According to him, ERA/FoE has been in the forefront of advocacy for environmental sanity and
sustainability in Nigeria, including canvassing for use of the instrumented of the law to achieve
this objective.
Williams said his organization has been collaborating with AFAN, which is made up of small
scale fishermen and women, in the area of protecting fishing waters from pollution.
While expressing appretciation to NOSDRA for its role in tring to address the bonga oil spill of
December, 2011, especially in recommending five billion dollars as fine against shell for the
spill, he disclosed that ERA/FoE has been advocating for financial empowerment of the agency
to enable it achieve its set objectives.In his address, the DG/CEO of NOSDRA expressed
gratitude to the ERA/FoE and AFAN for their courtesy visit and disclosed that effors were apace
at the National Assenbly to strengthen the regulatory ability of the agency in the oil industry with
regard to ensuring environmental standards.Sir Idabor clarified that the agency had
recommended to the National Assembly that five billion dollars should be considered as fine on
shell for the devastating bonga spill, while necessary compensations for affected communities
would be decided after conducting of post-impact assessment of the disaster.