As part of the efforts to safeguard marine lives from oil spills, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in collaboration with International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) on Tuesday, through Friday, conducted a National Workshop on Developing Oiled Wildlife Contingency Plan (OWCP) in Abuja.
The workshop, apart from discussing current knowledge and understanding of Nigeria’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) and environment based on the framework of the Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI -WACAF), focused on oiled wildlife preparedness and how to ensure best practice and industry standard.
In a welcome address by the Director- General/ Chief Executive (DG/CE) of NOSDRA, Idris O. Musa, he expressed delight at the gathering of experts and industry operators to develop a framework to protect and preserve the country’s precious wildlife in the event of any oil spills.
The DG/CE noted the significant threat posed by oil spill incidents to national ecosystem and the diverse wildlife that make such habitats a home.
According to Musa, “These incidents have devastating consequences on marine and terrestrial life, resulting in the loss of biodiversity and long-term environmental damage”.
He highlighted the purpose of the four-day workshop as to collectively develop a comprehensive Oiled Wildlife Contingency Plan- a plan that will serve as a blueprint for immediate and effective response in the event of an oil spill, apart from ensuring that actions are swift, coordinated and informed by the best available knowledge and expertise.
The DG/CE further disclosed that the workshop will involve engagement by stakeholders in discussions, sharing of experiences and hearing from one another’s insights and perspectives, adding that the participants will explore different strategies, techniques and protocols that can be incorporated into the country’s NOSCP.
While stressing that the development of an effective OWCP required input from all stakeholders involved, including government bodies, NGOs, academia and petroleum industry operators, Musa expressed his appreciation to the GI- WACAF secretariat for delivering the workshop, as well as oil companies in the country for their immense support in this regard.
In a keynote address read on the occasion on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, by Mr. Charles Ikea (Director, Oil Pollution Control and Environmental Health), he commended NOSDRA for conducting the workshop, in conjunction with GI-WACAF.
The permanent secretary bemoaned that Nigeria and other countries of the world had in the recent past witnessed a number of oil spill incidents with devastating impacts on environment, with the corresponding vulnerability of natural habitat and the fragile wildlife inhabiting them such as seabirds, marine mammals, fish and reptiles, which have dire consequences when oil contaminates their habitat.
Alhaji Yusuf noted that developing an effective oiled wildlife contingency plan was not merely a regulatory requirement, but an ethical obligation owed to the creature that shares the planet.
In his words, “Today, we have the opportunity to take a proactive stance and design a plan that will minimize harm, save lives and restore ecosystem in the event of an oil spill”.
He emphasized that the foundation of any robust plan lied in collaboration and coordination through strong partnerships between government agencies, environmental organizations, oil industry operators and local communities.
Alhaji Yusuf also stressed the importance of public education and awareness campaign in the efforts to respond to all spills, as well as comprehensive training programmes that equip responders with the knowledge and skills to handle oiled wildlife incidents with utmost care and precision.
While emphasizing the imperative of prevention as most effective way of reducing the damaging effects of oil spills, the permanent secretary also made a case for implementing stringent regulations, monitoring system and ensuring high integrity of facilities and risk assessment strategies.