12 August 2014, Lagos – The Director General of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Peter Idabor has assured that its new Geographic Information System (GIS) and Laboratory equipment have put agency in better position to respond promptly to oil spill incidents.
Idabor who spoke in Abuja while receiving the equipment from the Minister of environment, Mrs. Lawrencia Mallam, said the equipment which were funded by the Ecological Fund Office (EFO) was coming at “a very appropriate time”.
He explained that the installation of GIS in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna Port Harcourt, Uyo and Warri, as well as the procurement of laboratory equipment for Port Harcourt office would greatly aide the agency in its operations.
He noted that with the new equipment, the agency has been able “to marry the oil spill map and the oil spill monitors that would enable officials of the agency know the quantity of spilled and level of clean up in a particular environment.
“The GIS is seamless infrastructure, it has no boundaries and what you can do with it depends on your ingenuity and imagination, and we are so happy to have the equipment”.
Idabor explained that NOSDRA in “its effort to play the lead role in ensuring timely, effective and appropriate response to all oil spills as well as ensuring clean-up and remediation of all oil impacted sites to the best practical extent has recognized the great role these projects can play”.
While thanking the EFO for the equipment, he asked for more support in extending the installations to Akure, Bayelsa and Kogi to enable the agency efficiently cover the country.
On his part, EFO Director General, Goni Sheik assured that it would continue to support NOSDRA to make the environment cleaner especially from the harmful impact of oil industry operation
– Daily Independent
