Lawmakers seek criminal liability, tighter penalties for oil spill

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has moved to strengthen accountability for oil pollution in Nigeria’s petroleum industry, approving amendments to the law establishing the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to provide for stiffer fines and criminal sanctions against violators.
According to the lawmakers, the proposed changes are aimed at addressing the persistent destruction of the environment in the Niger Delta, where oil spills have damaged farmlands, polluted fishing waters and undermined the livelihoods of communities in oil-producing areas.
This followed the Senate’s approval of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment) Act (...