By JOHN UKPATU
There is the need to slow down the impact of oil producing activities in Akwa Ibom state
Before the oil boom of the 1970’s, life in the coastal areas of Akwa Ibom state was peaceful. Food security was guaranteed, human dignity was not compromised, and the environment was intact as well as life supporting.
But today, the activities of oil companies in the area have conspired to change the situation for the worse. Sources of livelihood in the riverine areas have been seriously threatened due to the exploration and exploitation of oil within the territory.
The incessant oil spills, gas flaring and other forms of pollution by oil companies have devastated the marine ecosystem with adverse consequences on the life of the coastal communities
Actually, the oil activities have not improved the lot of the people, hunger is biting now more than ever and nutrition suffers with reduction in protein supply, and yet, Akwa Ibom State produces forty percent of the total barrels of oil generated per day in Nigeria.
And it is true that the Eket senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State accounts for the bulk of the nation wealth but it is equally true that the decades of oil exploration and exploitation have not changed enough, the economic and infrastructural landscape of the coastal communities.
It must be added that the issue of neglect, the issue of none compliance with the provision of the local content Act, the issue of social justice and the issue of corporate social responsibility are key issues confronting the oil bearing communities of Akwa Ibom State.
Certainly, this situation must not be allowed to continue. Something practical has to be done to alleviate the plight and sufferings of the oil bearing coastal communities.
Good enough, there exists a pool of goodwill demonstrated by the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel to turn the ecologically threatened coastal communities of the state into a path of sustainable development.
And now that the petroleum, Industry Bill 2015, section one, one six to one one eight, as passed by the National Assembly, has stipulated that every upstream petroleum producing company shall remit, on monthly basis, ten per cent of its net profit derived from oil operation in the on shore, offshore and shallow water areas for the development of oil producing communities.
What is left is to reinvigorate interaction with all the oil companies operating in the state to contribute their quota towards the development of their host communities.
There is also the need for the oil companies to always comply with the provision of the local content development Act. This should be in terms of employment of qualified indigenes from host communities and adhering to their corporate social responsibility.
There is also a compelling need to list certain communities in the coastal oil bearing communities as special development areas, and advance a compelling argument for democratization of the process of community development with community involvement.
There must be a government oil company joint task force on community development and environmental sustainability. In fact, what is needed, and urgently, is a new thinking.
The coastal communities should not be a dependable cash cow that must be milked without adequate consultation, participation and compensation.
Also, indigenous entrepreneurs should be involved in the oil business in order to benefit adequately from the God given wealth. These would go a long way to assuage the negative impact of oil exploration and exploitation which the coastal oil bearing communities of Akwa Ibom State have been subjected to over the past sixty years.
