Chevron has expressed its intention to strengthen working relationship with National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), as well as its willingness to comply with all environmental regulations in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
This was disclosed by the General Manager (GM), Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) for Chevron in the country, Mr. Lateef Olajide, during a courtesy visit with some HSE officials to the Director-General of NOSDRA, Mr. Idris O. Musa, at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Mr. Olajide said he recognized the important role being played by NOSDRA in oil spill management and other environment-related matters.
He stated the importance of building and strengthening the existing relationship between both entities to avoid ‘collateral damage’ of oil pollution.
He added that HSE officials were open to evaluation from NOSDRA, as well as rating their performance and improvements made in compliance periodically.
Mr. Olajide stated that Chevron had worked with the Agency at the headquarters and at the zonal levels and the feedback had been good.
The GM gave a brief of previous Joint Investigation Visits (JIVs) conducted and presented reports.
In his opening remarks, the DG/CEO of NOSDRA welcomed the Chevron HSE officials and congratulated Mr. Lateef on his appointment as the new GM, (HSE), for the company in Nigeria.
Musa went further to appreciate the brief and stated that the Agency will continually cooperate with all operators within the oil sector and hoped to sustain relationships.
He added that the major cause of friction between NOSDRA and oil industry operators resulted from poor response to requests for clear information pertaining to oil spill incidence, adding that whenever there was an issue of spill, the company was expected to note it and report to the agency’s zonal offices.
He emphasized that NOSDRA’s stand remained to state the issues the way they were without bias, calling ‘a spade a spade’, hence the need for the records to speak for itself.
The DG/CEO noted the lackadaisical response of certain operators in compliance with the Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) and how this had left most of them unprepared for unprecedented oil spill incidents.
By Mistura Alabi