The Minister of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor has said that the federal government will soon begin the process of reviewing the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) with a view to ensuring stiffer penalties to oil companies involved in oil spillage in the country.
Ikeazor made the announcement on Thursday at the weekly ministerial briefing at the State House.
The minister noted that a strong legal framework has become expedient to stop ongoing oil spills in the country.
She further revealed that the OML29 oil spill in Nembe, Bayelsa State has been brought under control.
According the minister, necessary personnel and equipment were deployed to begin recovery and remediation efforts handled by NOSDRA, as the agency assures that a post-spill impact assessment will be concluded in one month.
The Environment minister stated that the government is working to create alternative livelihoods for local communities to put a halt to illegal activities, that lead to sabotage of oil.
She lamented that Nigeria has the highest rate of smoke-induced death in the world, most of which are women.
The minister however noted that government plans to reintroduce clean cookstove and the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cookstove initiative to remedy the situation.