On 13 November Rt. Hon. Samuel Onuigbo, Vice-President (Africa) of GLOBE International, and President of GLOBE Nigeria, participated in the the UK Government-sponsored Facility for Oil Sector Transformation (FOSTER) and OrderPaper programme “Dissecting Petroleum Bills, Oversight Activities and Resolution in the 8th Assembly —Lessons for the 9th Assembly”.
The engagement was attended by Oil and Gas consultants and National Assembly members, and it aimed at reviewing the National Assembly’s engagements in the oil and gas sector, with a view to finding out challenges being faced.
During his presentation, Rt. Hon. Samuel Onuigbo hammered on the need to pay attention to the environment as Nigeria prospects for oil. According to him, “GLOBE is interested in the all-important issue that as you use the natural capital to make your money, you must also know that whatever is giving you the revenue, as an oil company or as a farmer must not be destroyed.”.
I was at the flag-off of the Ogoni clean-up with the Vice President and I am aware of the massive devastation in that area. We must agree that the oil companies that carry out their activities in Nigeria do not take into account the devastation done to Nigeria’s ecosystem. This must change and NOW!
We must now ensure that those who engage in any form of activity that affect our environment whether through deforestation or oil drilling or through gas emission, must pay attention to the rehabilitation of the environment or in essence our natural capital.
Attention must be paid to the regulation of the activities of those whose actions impact on our environment and we must take concrete steps towards engendering sustainable development.
That is what GLOBE is doing, and I am totally committed to this. We must do what we have to do today so that we may live tomorrow.”
