FG commends NOSDRA’s integrity ranking, pledges more support
The federal government has commended the top-ranking recognition of the National Oil Spill Detection Agency in Nigeria’s Transparency and Integrity Index.
Balarabe Abbas-Lawal, the minister of environment, made the commendation in Abuja at the unveiling of NOSDRA’s compendium of achievements and relaunch of the Environmental Sensitivity Index Map.
Mr Abbas-Lawal stated that NOSDRA’s recognition as a top-performing agency in Nigeria’s transparency and integrity index for both 2023 and 2024 was a testament to its commitment to service delivery.
The minister said that under the watch of Chukwuemeka Woke, NOSDRA’s director-general, the agency had shown exceptional commitment to oil spill detection.
He said that NOSDRA’s proactive performance was a sign of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to environmental protection, accountability, and sustainable development.
Mr Abbas-Lawal further said that the compendium and the updated ESI Map provided a clear, evidence-based record of NOSDRA’s efforts and performance.
“This aligns with the federal government’s move toward data-driven environmental governance. NOSDRA has completed 1,424 joint investigation visits, recovered 15,980 barrels of crude oil from 1,512 spills, and issued 660 closeout certificates for major clean-up projects,” he said.
The minister, however, expressed concern about the rising number of artisanal refineries, which account for about 82 per cent of oil spills in the country. He urged NOSDRA to step up surveillance, community engagement, and enforcement efforts in order to combat the harmful practice.
Mr Abbas-Lawal reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting NOSDRA in achieving its mission of creating a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable oil and gas industry.
Edward Omo-Erewa, the chairman of NOSDRA’s governing board, congratulated Mr Woke and his team for being ‘highly professional’ in the discharge of their duties.
Mr Omo-Erewa described the successes recorded by the agency as a sign of effective leadership, resilience, and teamwork.
(NAN)
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