A renowned environmentalist and National Coordinator, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Mulade Sheriff, has tasked Delta State Government on the need to follow written and acceptable environmental best practices in preserving the environment and ecosystem from further degradation as an aftermath of crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and oil exploration in the State.
Mulade, the Ibe-Sorimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, made the call yesterday while speaking with journalists in Warri in reaction to the second reading of an executive bill before the Delta State House of Assembly seeking for the forfeiture of properties confiscated from crude oil theft in the State.
He, however, commended Delta State Government for initiating the bill for a quick passage and urged the state executive and lawmakers not to use the bill as a witch-hunt to individuals engaging in legal businesses within the identified areas but to be prudent and encompassing in the implementation of proceedings as it relates to improving the environment and to preserve the economic stay of the state and federal government.
The executive bill had scaled the second reading after a robust debate on its merits by lawmakers at plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Thursday February 24, 2022, after it was forwarded to the Assembly by the State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa last year.
“Proper environmental impact assessment by environmental experts with prerequisite knowledge and qualifications need to be carried out to ascertain the best procedures to employ in location identification, method of operations, specific type of items or materials used for operations, and other principles used by offenders,” Mulade said.
He reiterated the importance of following such practical guidelines, stressing that such procedures are essential in avoiding further degradation of the environment.
On the use of explosives, spilling of crude oil and burning of confiscated materials by offenders, the environmental expert said: “It will be totally unfair to the environment and the ecosystem on the part of any individual to explore such methods in this generation when there are more comprehensive and biochemical methods to address such.”
He submitted that spilling of seized crude oil on the water as well as burning of related materials used by offenders within the locations will only further degrade the environment and ecosystem adding, “Such acts are mundane and are environmental unfriendly as they tend to further degrade the environment which overtime has resulted to untold health challenges, destruction of properties, cause poverty and death to individuals, primate, aquatic organisms and others living within the identified locations.”
While urging Deltans to embrace the initiative, he observed that the Delta State bill, when passed into law, will further strengthen earlier Acts enacted by the Federal Government against oil pipeline vandalism, noting that penalties for defaulters are clearly spelt out by the federal government and the intended Delta State bill.
