Good morning dear fellow Nigerians Today I will be sharing very important info on a proposed law that will give @NOSDRANigeria power to adequately manage and mitigate the impact of oil spills in host communities and the need for @nassnigeria to #PassNOSDRABillNow

@NOSDRANigeria was established in 2006 to create, nurture and sustain a zero tolerance for oil spill incidence in the Nigerian environment but is incapacitated due to defects in existing law. #PassNOSDRABillNow

These defects in the existing Act, is responsible for the ineffectiveness of NOSDRA and the impunity, high handedness being exhibited by oil producing companies in the Niger Delta. #PassNOSDRABillNow

Nigeria is thus highly disadvantaged because of the lack of institutional capacity to do this important job. This affects the speed and quality of response adversely and worsens the challenges of environmental degradation and associated negatives. #PassNOSDRABillNow

These setbacks to NOSDRA efficiency necessitated the NosdraBill. An Act to Amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Act, 2006 and Other Matters Connected Therewith” The first attempt on the bill was in the 7th Assembly. #PassNOSDRABillnow

Second Attempt at the 8th National Assembly
. The Bill was passed by both Chambers of the 8th National Assembly, but assent was declined by Mr. President because of certain concerns. #PassNOSDRABillNow

Presidential concerns and reason for none assent to the NOSDRA Bill have been addressed properly in the revised version hence there should be no more delays in passing the bill to help alleviate the sufferings of host communities due to environmental pollution #PassNOSDRABillNow

NOSDRA has since existed without portfolio and this has greatly impeded on their impact. NOSDRA bill when it becomes law would strengthen it to assist communities get their devastated farms and water sources back. #PassNOSDRABillNow

It is a welcome development that @NOSDRANigeria is now looking for more power and better funding to enable it carry out its statutory mandates effectively, Nigerians are in support of that since it will greatly improve livelihood for host communities #PassNOSDRABillNow

At the moment, there have been over 2000 oil spill sites with no effective action yet. This is despite NOSDRA’s effort to detect and respond to spills. #PassNOSDRABillNow

Challenges faced by NOSDRA as a result of none passage of NOSDRA Bill includes: Inadequate budgetary allocation for Agency’s operations. #PassNOSDRABillNow
2. Incessant oil theft and artisanal refining activities; leaving in its work environmental degradation.

3. Weak Sanctions in NOSDRA’s Establishment Act 2006.

4. Need to clarify grey areas with regard to NOSDRA Establishment Act Amendment Bill 2018 in order to obtain Presidential assent.

#PassNOSDRABillNow

@MBuhari @NGRPresident @ProfOsinbajo @FemAdesina @GarShehu @AjuriNgelale @HETimipreSylva @DrAhmadLawan @femigbaja @JideOmoworare #PassNOSDRABillNow

Why #PassNOSDRABillNow is very critical at this time.

1. Current enabling law has a huge gap that needs to be bridged. The lack of an amended law worsens the speed and quality of response to oil spills.

2. When NOSDRA bull becomes a law, it will end NOSDRA's current dependence on oil companies for logistics.
It is not in the nation’s interest that NOSDRA currently depends on the equipment and transportation of firms that it is supposed to be regulating.
#PassNOSDRABillNow

3. The Niger Delta will be left with horrendous environmental damage if NOSDRA is not empowered to deal with escalating number of polluted sites. #PassNOSDRABillNow

Communities where new oil deposits have been found will inherit the awful legacies of the Niger Deltas if the NOSDRA Amendment bill is not passed. #PassNOSDRABillNow

In Omoku and other areas in Niger Delta for more than 32 years have been subjected to unabated pollution of their environment and river bodies, their only source of water polluted without any hope of cleaning it up. The only way to correct this is #PassNOSDRABillNow

Oill exploration activities has rendered the Niger Delta region one of the five most severely petroleum damaged ecosystems in the world. #PassNOSDRABillNow to save lives in Niger Delta.

There is need for institutional framework to coordinate oil spill, and the implementation of National Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Nigeria in accordance with international best practice. #PassNOSDRABillNow

After nine years of promises without proper action, the people of Ogoniland are sick of dirty and unhealthy drinking water. @MBuhari and all concerned leaders should ensure the right institutional framework is put in place to mitigate this. #PassNOSDRABillNow