April 28, (THEWILL) – A non-governmental organisation, Stakeholders Alliance for Corporate Accountability (SACA), has commenced its second phase of sensitisation and enlightenment campaigns on the effects of oil spill in affected Bayelsa state communities.
Speaking to journalists, as part of activities for the flag-off ceremony, SACA’s Executive-Director, Mr Kingsley Ozegbe, noted that the NGO was committed to partnering the state government and other willing institutions in ending the ills associated with oil spills in Bayelsa and other sister Niger Delta states, within its operational base.
He emphasised that research carried out by SACA and its partner organisations, revealed that people who live in distances less than 10 kilometres from sites of oil spill, stand the risk of several environmental and health hazards including diseases and death.
The Executive Director, who also gave the timeline of the phases of the sensitisation programme, hinted that it would run for three years, stressing that the maiden edition of the programme commenced in 2022, with sensitisation carried out in 16 communities, while a total of 32 communities were expected to be reached by SACA in 2023, for the second phase.
He said: “We’ll be working in 32 communities in 2023 to educate them on the effects of oil spill. People who live in distances less than 10km from the site of oil spills are vulnerable to both environmental and health hazards, including diseases and sometimes death.”
THEWILL learnt that SACA is funded by Misean Cara of the Republic of Ireland and the St. Patrick Missionary Society.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa state Ministry of Environment, Mr Waripamo Martin Amaitari, commended the NGO for its partnership on safety of the state’s Environment through its sensitisation against oil spill and other forms of environmental hazards.
He noted that SACA’s campaigns were yielding positive impacts, mentioning also that between the time the NGO and the ministry began their collaborations and presently, issues regarding number of oil spills in the state have reduced drastically in the state, adding that SACA’s efforts is worthy of emulation by other corporate organisations for the protection of our environment, reiterated that the ministry will continue to collaborate with SACA.
Other collaborating agencies and ministries in the state with SACA include the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the state Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Education, as well as members of SACA’s Environmental Management Committee (EMC).
In their separate interviews with Newsmen, the NSCDC Deputy Commandant of Corps (DCC), Daniel Omoighe, who doubles as the HOD, Critical national asset infrastructure, Bayelsa state command, averred that the Corps was glad and willing to continue partnership with SACA, saying just as the NGO has been campaigning against oil spills, the NSCDC core mandate was to secure and protect national infrastructural assets, including securing oil facilities against vandalism.
Some other participants at the flag-off, who lauded SACA were the trio of the Desk Officer for non-communicable diseases of the state Ministry of Health, Dr Tuboulayefa, S.E, and Deputy Director, Department of Secondary School Education, Ministry of Education, Mr Akuna Oweilayefa, as well as the representative of the state Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Florence Ekeremor respectively.
All of them posited that their collaborations were not misplaced priorities, but a just cause, considering the importance of safe environment to human existence and they are poised to continue to support SACA.
In same vein, Community relations and Environmental manager of SACA, Mr Henry Adike, added that during their field work on its sensitisation tour of communities, the NGO would also be carrying-out ‘Air Quality Analysis’ of the various communities.
