Federal Lawmakers from Akwa Ibom State, led by Hon. Paul Ekpo of Etinan Federal Constituency, have made a passionate call to the Federal Government to ensure that multinational oil companies clean up the environmental devastation caused by oil spills before they are allowed to divest from the country.
The House of Representatives took on the pressing matter of environmental justice in the Niger Delta Region on Monday, June 11, 2024, as Hon. Paul Ekpo brought forward a Motion at plenary, urging the Federal Government to hold multinational oil companies accountable for their role in the degradation of the region.
The Motion, which was co-sponsored by Hon. Dr. Patrick Umoh of Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency , detailed the extent of environmental damage caused by oil spillages and called for urgent remediation measures to be taken before these companies are allowed to divest from Nigeria.
Ekpo said “Worried about the planned divestment by international oil companies from Nigeria under the guise that the oil from the Niger Delta is no longer suitable for their business without a clear-cut remediation plans for the Niger Delta Region”
“Concerned that oil spillages caused by the international oil companies have continued to negatively affect the Niger Delta Region’s environment, decreasing its agricultural productivity due to farmland degradation, and causing pollution of traditional fishing grounds and destruction of aquatic life;”
“Aware of the need to conduct a comprehensive and thorough clean-up of the different communities affected by oil spillage in Niger Delta Region”
“Disturbed that if international oil companies are allowed to divest from Nigeria without cleaning up the Niger Delta, the region will continue to suffer from environmental degradation and health complications caused by their operations”
Ekpo who was a Commissioner and Akwa Ibom State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for two terms urged the Federal Government to ensure that international oil companies clean up the Niger Delta Region before divesting from the country.
Presiding over the plenary, the speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudden Abbas referred the motion to House committee on Environment for further legislative action.
