Abuja — As part of the growing efforts to check oil spillage in oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) is set to formally inaugurate a committee on Environmental Sensitization/Awareness campaign in the region.

According to the Head of Public Affairs of NOSDRA, Mr. Henshaw Ogubike, in a statement in Abuja, the resolutions was reached after the recent meeting of the Minister of Environment, John Odey, with captains of Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria on the need for NOSDRA, International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the media to form a committee that would develop strategies to raise the level of environmental awareness in the oil-producing areas.

The inauguration of the committee is coming on the heels of a number of measures unfolded by NOSDRA to control oil spills in the region, including series of meetings with oil companies and the recent launching of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) mapping for use by the companies in response to spills in coastal areas.

The Committee is expected to ensure the collaboration of stakeholders in strategizing on modalities that will increase the level of environmental awareness among the oil-producing communities, as well as promote dialogues and create enabling environment for harmonious relationships among the stakeholders

All Oil and Gas companies have also keyed into the activities of NOSDRA whose approach to its statutory duties has earned it the confidence of the oil companies operating in Nigeria.