Oil and Gas—Enforcing Environmental Laws To Effective, Safe, and Proper Exploration in Nigeria.
In Nigeria's long history, its oil and gas sector has undoubtedly contributed to its economy. In fact, despite the recent fluctuations in the world oil price, this viable sector still contributes a lot to Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) and over 80% of the country’s exports. Since oil was discovered in Nigeria in 1956 in Oloibiri, Bayelsa State, Nigeria has made billions of dollars exporting millions of oil barrels. More so, oil was later discovered in the western parts of Nigeria, further boosting oil and gas exploration.
Nigeria has profited greatly from the oil and gas industry but at the expense of environmental well-being. What am I saying here? When we critically examine how oil and gas are explored in Nigeria, we will have a lot of worries. The lands on which oil and gas are explored often suffer a lot of pollution and degradation. Those lands are left in near-useless conditions in oil and gas refining. Oil spillage(s) are most often the order of the day on these lands. This is becoming unbearable to the extent that inhabitants of these lands cannot survive on them. Farming and fishing activities have been brought down to their knees. It has also affected their health, as water infections are prevalent. Let us not forget that this is major damage to the means of livelihood of these inhabitants. Environmental pollution due to oil and gas exploration is not a novel worrying situation in Nigeria. A lot has been said about the need to explore oil and gas more safely and properly way(s). Amnesties have been given to these inhabitants on various occasions.
However, the fact remains that those inhabitants are still very uncomfortable with incessant oil pollution(s).
Ironically, solutions to these exploration problems are right with us; we must enforce them. There is already a framework for enforcing environmental laws, and we must see strict and proper enforcement. This would also come along with some relevant amendments. In ensuring the enforcement of laws against improper oil exploration, the Nigerian legal system and environment parastatals must be called to action and be up to the task. The 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria constitution has the framework section 20 to ensure environmental pollution(s) does not occur. Section 20 of the 1999 constitution states that the state is empowered to improve the environment and safeguard the water, air, and land… of Nigeria. This alone provides a legitimate and solid ground for the making and promulgating of effective environmental laws.
To curb the menaces of improper oil and gas exploration in Nigeria, we must invoke the legal framework(s). We have to enforce the environmental laws in the constitution. Section 2 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (EIA 1992 Act) provides that no public or private sector must embark on or authorize any project(s) without considering the effect on the concerned environment(s). There is no better time to give effective strength and authority to the EIA Act. There should be a legal provision to include an Environmental Impact Assessment Clause (EIA Clause) in the activities of oil exploration companies in Nigeria. This would ensure proper and utmost care during exploration activities. This is the time to ensure the strict enforcement of the 1988 Harmful Wastes Act and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency Act (1988).
Moreover, the Nigerian Ministry of Environment also has to ensure that the regulations and guidelines of the Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria (EGAPSIN 2002) are reviewed to meet contemporary requirements. This would provide for contemporary issues like emotional damage, psychological damage, and all. When we talk about Environmental Impact Assessment Clauses (EIA), there should be strict penalties like the seizure of a license to explore oil and gas in Nigeria and heavy monetary penalties. It is when all these environmental laws are put in place and enforced that we will have a drastic improvement when it comes to unsafe oil and gas exploration in Nigeria.
It is also important to note that the workability of enforcing environmental laws against unsafe oil and gas exploration depends on effective coordination and commitment between the Judiciary and environmental officials. When judicial officials do well in prosecuting erring exploration companies fairly, the enforced environmental laws are feasible. Environmental officers must also review their laws to be consistent with prevalent circumstances. We would then have safe and proper exploration activities in Nigeria.
conclusion
It is very important to ensure that safe and proper oil and gas exploration is the order of the day in Nigeria. This would not only reduce environmental pollution but also give us a contemporary and reliable environmental legal framework.
