By Thompson ABISOLA
A Senior Lecturer at Niger Delta University in Bayelsa State, Dr. Simon Amaduoboha, has decried the absence of remediation projects to cushion the adverse impacts of oil exploration in the Niger Delta region.
Amaduoboha said this at the opening of a two-day youth training on environmental laws, rights and conventions on Friday in Yenagoa.
He noted that political leaders from the Niger Delta region had used environmental degradation issues to advocate greater share of oil revenue, resulting to the 13 per cent derivation.
He, however, expressed regret that the oil derivation allocation had not been judiciously utilised to impact positively on improving the environment and oil communities.
Amaduoboha urged youths to join the efforts to preserve the environment for the benefit of their generation and the people coming behind them.
The senior lecturer was a resource person at the youth training for 100 youths aged between 13 and 20 years and drawn from the eight local government areas in Bayelsa State.
He said the training would empower the youths with the necessary laws to appreciate the need for conservation and protection of the environment.
He stressed the need to sensitise youths on the adverse impact of the use of fossil fuels and emission of poisonous gases which degrade the environment.
A lawyer with Environmental Right Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), an NGO, Mr. Nosa Tokumbo, said the group was undertaking remediation projects in Bayelsa, Rivers and Edo, three pilot states of the Niger Delta.
He said the project was aimed at highlighting extant laws that regulate oil industry activities and strengthen youths to take steps to know and protect their rights to a sustainable environment.
Miss Anita Doifie, one of the participants, said that the idea of sensitising youths to lead advocacy for the environment was a welcome development.
“It is good to have the knowledge so that we can, in the future, when we come of age, enforce these environmental and human rights laws,” Doifie said.
TBI Africa reports that the training featured lectures on fundamental human rights, environmental laws, treaties, conventions and protocols that relate to the environment.
