PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: The National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the UK-based Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing environmental sustainability in Nigeria’s petroleum sector. Both organisations vowed to build on the successes of their ongoing partnership, ensuring cleaner and more transparent management of oil and gas operations.
This pledge was made on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by SDN’s Executive Director, Adam Heal, and his team to NOSDRA’s Director-General/Chief Executive, Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke, at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Engr. Woke expressed gratitude for the congratulatory message from SDN on his recent appointment and reflected on the longstanding relationship with the organisation, which began in 2013. He highlighted the critical role SDN has played in supporting the development of advanced tools to combat pollution in Nigeria’s petroleum industry. These tools include the Nigerian Oil Spill Monitor, the National Gas Flare Tracker, and the Methane Tracker, which is still under development.
“These tools have significantly enhanced transparency and accountability in the oil and gas pollution sector,” Woke said. He assured that his tenure would bring further improvements to NOSDRA and that the agency remained fully committed to its collaboration with SDN for better environmental management.
Woke also expressed optimism that the Methane Tracker, developed by SDN, would greatly contribute to tracking methane emissions in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. He emphasised that NOSDRA’s clear mandate is to maintain a clean and safe environment in the petroleum industry, with the continued support of SDN.
In congratulating SDN on its 20th anniversary of operations in Nigeria, Woke assured the organisation of NOSDRA’s unwavering support in its efforts to promote environmental sustainability.
In his remarks, SDN Executive Director Adam Heal noted that SDN has been working in Nigeria for the past two decades, providing monitoring and policy advice in the oil-producing Niger Delta region. He praised NOSDRA as a trusted partner, highlighting their joint efforts in developing cutting-edge geospatial tools such as the Nigerian Oil Spill Monitor and the National Gas Flare Tracker, both used to track and report oil and gas pollution.
Heal also mentioned SDN’s involvement in the ongoing Ogoni clean-up project, carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), particularly in testing soil and water samples.
Commending Engr. Woke for his new leadership vision for NOSDRA, Heal expressed enthusiasm for continuing the fruitful partnership between the two organisations in the years to come.
