Dominic Adewole The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has flagged off the Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction Plan (CBDRR) in a bid to end incessant oil spillage and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region. The agency maintained that Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plan was to develop, create and sustain an interface with stakeholders that have been effectively engaged in the effect to curb pipeline vandalism.
The Director-General of the agency, Mr. Idris Musa, who flagged-off the programme yesterday in Asaba, Delta State, said the Niger Delta region was confronted with a myriad of environmental problems threatening the supportive ecosystem and indeed the livelihood of the people. He said: “One of such threats is the incidence of oil spillages caused by oil pipeline vandalism. The compelling need to organise town hall meetings to create awareness on the dangers of pipeline vandalism in the region to clearly identify and harmonise the roles and responsibilities of the government, oil industry operators, oil producing host communities and others in addressing the menace.
“This resulted in the development of the community-based DRR plan on the danger of oil pipeline vandalism and resulted in environmental pollution. It is true that crude oil is always spilled to the environment due to equipment failure, pipeline vandalism by unscrupulous elements, and also contributes largely to the menace resulting in socioeconomic, health and environmental conditions.”