Nigeria forged its wealth via an exploration of crude oil in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. However, decades of immense oil production drilled from the rivers and creeks and the recurrent oil spillage have made this area one of the most polluted areas globally. Everyday, over a million barrels of crude oil are extracted and over 240,000 barrels spilled annually. Further reports claim that while European Union has experienced only 10 incidents of oil spillage in over 40 years, Nigeria has recorded over 9000 cases over the last 10 years. Regulatory agencies have however noted that these spills have been as a result of leaks from non serviced pipelines.
The environmental impacts of these oil spillages have made the residents of this area huge casualties. Most farmlands and rivers have been damaged, leaving these residents with little or no means for survival. Even the health status quo has been affected as a result of this spillage and the fire that it erupts. In a report, one of the victims, Prince Gbosidan recalled the eruption that occurred on April 29th, 2009, after a huge spill spread from an oil facility to his hometown, Deeyor-Kira, destroying numerous land farms.
Constant spills have led to environmental pollution across this region.
He noted that before the spill, it was easier to plant and expect a really good yield in the space of six months. He said that they now lived in abject poverty, consequently due to the spill destroying their means of livelihood. The 49 year old father added that he had stopped farming because of the environmental damage caused by the spill. He stated that he and his father farmed together in the 90s and yielded bountifully.
According to Gbosidan, harvesting for the family’s daily needs was now a very difficult task, as a result of the spill and other subsequent incidents. For decades, the crude oil drilled from Niger Delta served as an important asset for the country’s economy and export earning. However, constant spills leading to environmental pollution have continually endangered the lives and properties of the over 30 million residents, spanning across nine states with a coastline of about 450 kilometers.
Life expectancy ratio in this region reduced by 10 years to 41.
Specifically, data from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) which has been responsible for monitoring and responding to oil spillage cases in Nigeria, there were 9,870 cases of oil spill incidents between 2011 and 2021, which saw to the spilling of 466,214 barrels of oil into the area. On the effect of this recurrent oil spillage, reports also indicated that in 2012, about 16,000 babies died within the first month of their lives. The life expectancy ratio in this region is now 41 years, 10 years lower than the national average. One of the most popular cases of this oil spillage in the Niger Delta area is the Bonga oil spill from a shell oil field in 2011, where over 40,000 barrels of oil spilled into the Atlantic Ocean and affected over 168,000 people in 350 communities.
The recurring oil spillages led to an environmental assessment report by the United Nation Environmental Programme. The survey found a widespread of contaminated water and soil and thus, recommended an efficient cleanup, in a bid to restore the polluted areas of the environment. This didn’t actualize until about five years later, where the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo noted that a total cleanup of Ogoniland would take up to 25-30 years, assuring that this process will lead to job creation for the youths. Still, it was until 2018 that the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) commenced its preliminary remediation on these polluted regions. Though over 50 site lots have been awarded to contractors, experts believe that these processes were inefficient done, blaming HYPREP for flouting the necessary rules.
Cleanup must be a multidimensional operation.
One expert, Mr. Obemeata noted that the cleaning exercise had not been going in accordance with the recommendations of UNEP. He further noted that the current leaders must take this issue more seriously and avoid politicization of this process, in order to make progress. Saatah Nubari. President of the Civil Society Group Niger Delta Congress, also pointed that the entire cleanup should be called to question and the remediation, re-enacted. Additionally, UNEP also recommended the provision of clean water, as the water in the area had been contaminated by the oil spillage. Charles Oyibo, an environmentalist noted that the cleanup process was fraught with gaps and needed experts across different disciplines, as the cleanup should be a multidimensional operation.
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Niger Delta censures slow oil spill cleanup – Leaders must avoid politicizing the remediation, for progress in the cleanup. – Express your point of view.
Oil spillage is one of the problems we are facing especially in the Niger Delta region. We should institute q clean up policy or strategy to help them solve the environment degradation.
The Niger Delta region of Nigeria was the source of the majority of Nigeria’s riches, and as such, we owe it to future generations to preserve it in its natural state.
This region is now considered to be one of the most polluted on the entire planet as a result of the decades-long practice of extracting massive amounts of oil by drilling into rivers and streams and the frequent accidental leakage of oil.
Nevertheless, regulatory organizations have observed that the spills were caused by leaks in pipelines that were not being serviced.
This problem of oil spillage need good government to be addressed. Nigeria leaders have not done the needful
The procedure of cleaning up was riddled with problems and required the participation of specialists from a variety of fields because cleaning up should be a multidimensional operation.
Because of the spill and the other events that followed, gathering the food that the family required for their daily activities became an extremely challenging undertaking.
During the disaster, it was much simpler to grow something and anticipate a fairly good harvest within the period of half a year.
The population of this area have suffered severe losses as a result of the environmental effects of these oil spillages. The majority of the farms and rivers have been destroyed, leaving these people with few or no options for surviving.
We owe it to future generations to keep the Niger Delta region of Nigeria as it is, as it is where most of Nigeria’s wealth was first discovered.
Due to the decades-long practice of extracting enormous amounts of oil by drilling into rivers and streams and the frequent accidental leaks of oil, this area is today regarded as one of the most contaminated on the entire world.
The United Nations Environmental Program published an environmental assessment study as a result of the ongoing oil spills. In an effort to clean up the polluted regions of the environment, the assessment revealed widespread contamination of the water and soil.
The Niger Delta need serious intervention from the government and federal should do all what it takes to do the right thing that will lead to proper cleaning of this environment because the people in this area are really suffering.
The oil spillage need to be solve. Cleanup of linkage of oil should be effective carry out servicing the pipe well to afford linkage and cleanup when it linked taking care of the environment is important
The federal govt should do all what it takes to do the right thing that will lead to proper cleaning of this environment because the people in this area are really suffering.
This clean up in Niger Delta is so essential and the government must not politicize it as usual to their benefits but rather use it for the benefits of the citizenry.
Due to decades of oil drilling into rivers and streams and repeated oil spills, this region is now one of the most polluted on Earth.
The Niger Delta region of Nigeria produced most of Nigeria’s wealth, thus we owe it to future generations to protect it.
The spills, however, were traced back to broken pipelines that had not been maintained by the regulatory agencies.
The government are not doing well at all in this Niger Delta region . It is expected of the government to attend to the oil spillage the is currently affecting that region and stop politicizing the situation.
The Niger Delta region have really suffered a lot with constant oil exploration going in that region. Their lives have been severely affected by oil spillage leading to polluted farm land, shortened life expectations of an average individual. Government should act fast and stop politicizing the issues before it goes worst that these.