The National coordinator, Center for Environmental Peace and Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Sheriff Mulade has appealed to International Oil Companies, IOC’s operating in the Niger-Delta region to support people-Oriented programmes aimed at sensitizing citizens especially those in the oil-rich region on the dangers associated with environmental pollution and its concomitant negative effects on the lives of the people environment and the economy at large.
The environmental rights activist who expressed concern over recent spate of crude oil related population, pipeline exposition and vandalism noted that there was urgent need to educate Niger Deltans and Nigerians at large on their inclusive role of protecting oil and gas facilities and the environment from internal and external threats of vandalism, spillage and sabotage.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the Federal capital territory of Nigeria, Comrade Mulade disclosed that the International Oil Companies have a crucial role to play in contributing to environmental peace and security in the Niger-Delta by supporting Programmes organized by CEPEJ to educate the people on the benefits of securing oil and gas installations so as to preserve their environment for the next generation and also contribute to robust profit for the oil companies and boost the Nigerian economy.
In his words;”There is urgent need to protect and minimize environmental pollution, we are calling on the IOC’s to support -non governmental organisations, having Programmes to raise consciousness of protecting our environment from further deteriorating because the environmental hazards emanating from illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism, cruel oil theft and related social vices are more dangerous”.
Mulade also harped on the need for Government at all levels to partner with CEPEJ to promote Programmes that will proffer solutions to peculiar issues such as internal and external conflict, social exclusion and political marginalisation, health, hunger, unemployment, crime and social conflicts that bedevils the people.
