Oil Spillage: IPMAN calls for stringent penalties against multinational companies

National Vice-President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo, has called for stringent penalties to be applied on oil spills caused by multinationals oil companies operating in the exploration and production.Okoronkwo said that all exploration and production multinational oil companies need extra measures to ensure that oil spills from their production processes were drastically reduced.He however advised the Federal Government and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to compel the multinational oil companies to ensure a sustainable clean environment, while they immediately remediate the spills in particular communities.He said that there was need for government to take stringent action on those companies who failed to clean up oil spills in affected communities, adding that many communities have suffered a lot from various oil spillage emanating from the companies.He said: 'Most oil companies have not been maintaining the best practices in the country as they do in their own countries, or in other countries of the world. Both Federal Government and NOSDRA should take such issues very serious so that these companies can comply with the rule and regulations.'Okoronkwo advised the government to reverse some of the existing rules and regulations guiding NOSDRA in order to make a better and more effective policy and monitoring of oil spills incidents in the country.According to him, there is need for NOSDRA to collaborate with both local and international body to further strategise on way to reduce oil spillage and enhance prompt response to spills on Nigerian lands and waters across the country.Okoronkwo implored oil companies to ensure full integration and utilisation platform provided by trajectory modeling tools in their response strategies to marine oil spills.He said this became imperative, considering the fact that most oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria were shifting offshore, adding that the informed utilisation of trajectory models would aid responders to predict the direction and speed of spill movement.The Director General of the agency, Mr. Peter Idabor, had earlier said that the agency was ready to indict any of such firms and make them feel the pains of devoid as it was spelt out in the provisions of the law that established the agency.
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