An NGO and other experts in the oil and gas industry have identified style of governance, bad policies and lack of transparency, among the many challenges hindering development of Nigeria’s oil rich Niger Delta.
The NGO, African Initiative for Transparency, Accountability and Responsible Leadership (AfriTAL) and experts spoke after a documentary screening on the “Impact of Corruption and Conflict on Investments, in Energy Rich Niger Delta Communities,’’ in Abuja, according to NAN.
The documentary focused on two communities of Ogidigben and Gelegele in Delta and Edo states respectively, where various government projects there failed and the people still live in abject poverty.
Rev. Fr Edward Obi, a Catholic Priest and an environment activist, said the style of governance adopted in the country’s oil sector was unfortunately riddled with holes.
“We are in a country where people sit in their offices and make decisions that affect people without consulting them.
“It is a bad style of governance and it is seriously affecting the environmental regulation of the oil and gas industry,’’ Obi said.
The environmental activist said that the government has never been transparent in running the oil and gas sector, adding that the communities are hardly involved or educated on government plans.
Solomon Adeleye, another oil and gas expert said that corruption in Nigeria was often perceived as affecting government and governance, but it had never been considered to be adversely affecting communities.
He said that government should adopt a different style to manage the oil and gas sector to enable it drive growth and development.
“Nigeria is more of a gas nation than oil, it is very important that government does not use the same pattern it used in managing crude oil to run the gas sector.
Also, Faith Nwadisi of Women in Extractive Industry, said there was need to bring women on the table while discussing issues in the oil and gas sector.
Referring to the screened documentary, she said that the role of women was not reflected there noting that women bore 90 per cent of the negative impact of oil on communities.
“If we do not involve women in the business of managing the oil and gas industry, we will never get it right; when it comes to rural communities, the women are most affected when challenges arose in the cause of oil production.
“They go the extra mile to make sure that food is on the table when the oil spills and destroys farms, rivers among others. Women are hardly involved in decision making and that is an error,’’ Nwadisi said.
