Ejiofor Alike
4 November 2008
Lagos — Federal Government yesterday accused oil companies operating in the country of engaging in acts that destroy the environment and pose health risks to their employees.
Minister of State for Energy (Petroleum), Mr Odein Ajumogobia, made this allegation while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR)'s 13th Health Safety and Environment (HSE) conference of the oil and gas industry.
Ajumogobia also carpeted the oil firms for non-adherence to rules and regulations and guidelines, which had been prepared and circulated by the DPR other agencies who are engaged in ensuring and enforcing best practices.
"Oil industry operations from time to time have been characterised by unfortunate but avoidable accidents. Tragically, some of such accidents have resulted in fatalities and debilitating injuries to people who are working in the industry, through the exposure to risks, which should have been mitigated," he said.
"Recent complaints of labour organisations - NUPENG in particular, on behalf of oil workers, have highlighted some of these lapses in the areas of health and safety of oil workers. Complaints range from unsafe structure, arising from poor and ineffective design or substandard construction, to the integrity of some of the oil facilities, which have not been maintained over the years, sometimes since they were installed, due to non-adherence to rules, regulations and guidelines," he added.
"Companies and operators are quick to show concern and response to physical injuries which are visible and debilitating, especially if the injuries stop the employees from carrying out the tasks that are assigned to them," Ajumogobia said.
The minister frowned at the neglect of the oil companies on health and environmental matters, adding that the companies have taken the issue of health of their employees for granted.
"This is not the forum to point at or to review the HSE practices or performance of individual operators. It is however an opportunity for all of us in the industry to re-commit ourselves to taking steps to address the lapses in this area," he said.
The minister lamented that oil companies do not respond to environmental and safety issues."Although in HSE discourse, emphasis tends to be focused on environmental concern, I will like to challenge this seminar during the next few days to adopt more holistic and integrated approach with detailed consideration of the issues pertaining to all the elements in HSE or HSSE - health, safety, security and environment," he said."Health, the physical and mental well being, which I think is the definition of health, is often taken for granted and left to the devises of individual employees rather than being the responsibility of the employer. Sometimes, physical challenges which exist in the value-chain in the petroleum industry needs to be taken into account in devising best practices," he said. Ajumogobia was however upbeat that the situation could improve if the stakeholders showed much commitment."We can achieve greater heights in HSE performance despite the complexities and the security challenges of going business in the Niger Delta at this time," he said.He tasked the stakeholders to be considerate in their activities in the quest to maintain socio-economic and environmental harmony.In his remark, Acting Director of Petroleum Resources, Alhaji Aliyu Sabonbirni , said that due to the difficult terrain of operation and the required sophisticated technology associated with oil and gas business in the country, the industry needs adequate security to performing its money-spinning role in the economy.The DPR boss urged oil industry operators in the country to join hands with the agency to evaluate the industry practices over the years and explore horizons that would proffer recommendations and roadmaps to best practices in the sector.
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