End of fossil fuel: Environmentalist asks FG to apportion resources to clean up N’Delta

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

An environmentalist, Mr Nnimmo Bassey, has said that there is a need for adequate planning to end the age of fossil fuel, saying that fossil fuel is exploitative and fragile and should not be allowed to continue.

Bassey added that plan must be afoot to set aside resources to clean up the entire Niger Delta as well as other coastline communities.

He, however, warned that the country should not be caught unawares when the end to the fossil fuel age actually comes.

Bassey, Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) said this while speaking on the topic; “Ending the Fossil Age: Overturning the Myths and False Solutions” in a workshop on Blue Economy, Divestment and the End of Fossil Age in Uyo on Tuesday.

The environmentalist debunked the illusion that Nigeria will come to an end if fossil fuel dries up, reassuring us that with adequate preparations, Nigeria will survive after oil.

He said that whether Nigeria likes it or not the fossil fuel age is almost coming to an end, urging the government to wake up to the realities and come up with effective and lasting climate change mitigation.

He said: “We are doing this against the backdrop of the projections that the fossil fuel age is running to an end whether we are ready or not and whether we like it or not. 

“The meaning of the end of the fossil fuels civilisation is that Nigeria must assiduously prepare for the imminent transition. That plan must include a setting aside of resources to clean up the entire Niger Delta as well as other coastline communities.

“Without a plan, and a redefinition of development and progress, we may end up in a cemetery of junk technologies and fight, bequeath to our children stranded assets in equally stranded communities,” Bassey said.

On the plans to move to a blue economy, Bassey urged the federal government to ensure that approaches that would enhance the wellbeing of the people, protect their water bodies as well as defend the integrity of the ecosystem are upheld in the process.

Bassey also expressed worry that as most multinational oil companies divest and move into deep waters after 64 years of onshore oil and gas exploitation, their activities if not monitored would drastically pollute the waters and the pollution will also get to citizens through sea foods.

“This grim reality calls for the strict protection of our waters by checking the industrial activities onshore and offshore.

“With some international oil companies divesting and moving into deep waters after 64 years of ruinous onshore exploitation of oil and gas, it does not require a seer to see that their activities away from the watchful eyes of the community will be atrocious.

“Sadly, the pollution will get to citizens through sea foods and the delivery of pollutants by the waves to the shorelines,” he said.