THE ROLE OF NIGERIAN MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AND SAFETY AGENCY (NIMASA).
The Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is the Nation’s apex regulatory authority and the focal point for International Maritime Organization (IMO) matters as well as the implementing agency for relevant international maritime conventions and protocols relating to safety and security of the marine environment.
Having been dully notified by NOSDRA of the Dec. 20th 2011 BONGA oil spill swung into action by constituting two investigative teams of multi- Disciplinary personnel consisting of an in-house technical committee, external environmental consultants and solicitors to determine the extent of environmental degradation caused by the incident and critically examined the claims of the affected communities with a view to making adequate compensations.
The report of the NIMASA fact finding committee revealed severe devastation of the marine Ecosystem ranging from water pollution, decline in fishing businesses, exposure to grave and life threatening diseases out breaks and distortion of socio- economic life of the affected coastal communities.
NIMASA therefore concludes and orders as follows-:
After assessing the immediate and consequential damage caused by the incident consequently and in line with international principle of polluter pays, the Agency wishes to request SNEPCO to take urgent steps to-:
(1) Immediately undertake remediation operations in all affected Coastal communities in order to forestall further degradation; and
(2) Make adequate monetary compensation thereof to a sum not less than the assessed amount of USD 6.5billion in the first instance; pending the outcome of post impact assessment of the affected areas.
This series is from the stable of the Oil spill victims vanguard (OSPIVV) a non-governmental organisation(NGO) incorporated with the corporate affairs commission, OSPIVV is an initiative whose main object is dedicated to fight for compensation for victims of oil spills, health hazards of gas flaring, transparency and accountability in the Extractive industries in Nigeria.
HARRISON JALLA is an Executive Director (OSPIVV)