ABUJA - The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has successfully monitored the remediation of 1,785 Oil Impacted Sites in the Niger Delta.
The Director General of NOSDRA, Dr Bamidele Ajaikaye made this known in Abuja , while briefing the Vice President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, on the activities of the agency.

He said the agency had monitored the remediation and certification of 425 out of the affected sites, while the remaining 1,360 were under certification process.

He revealed that NOSDRA had introduced a Local Economic Empowerment of Host Communities’s programme through the conversion of remediated borrow pits to viable fish ponds.

He also stated that the agency had commenced the re-vegetation and conversion of oil impacted remediated sites to arable land for agricultural production.

Ajaikaye who spoke extensively on the role of NOSDRA in socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region, said his Agency had been collaborating with PPMC and Oil Companies on enlightenment campaigns to forestall oil facilities vandalism.
“We have been meeting with other Government Agencies to secure support for monitoring and collaboration on major oil spillage,” he said.

In her remarks at the briefing, the Minister of Environment, Hajiya Halima Alao stressed the need to adequately and effectively equip NOSDRA to enable it to carry out its responsibilities diligently.

She stated that already adequate budgetary allocations had been made for the Agency in the 2009 budget for acquisition of oil spill response equipment and other vital facilities for its smooth operation.

Responding, the Vice President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan called for collaboration between NOSDRA and the newly created Ministry of Niger Delta to effectively address the issue of oil pollution and other environmental problems in the region.

He gave an assurance that the Federal Government would continue to support the agency in its efforts toward ensuring a friendly and safer environment