The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, on Tuesday announced that it had commenced the implementation of community-based Disaster Risk Reduction plan in 25 communities in Bayelsa.

It said the plan was principally aimed at reducing pipeline vandalism in the state.

The Director General of NOSDRA, Peter Idabor, who made this disclosure at a communal forum, through the agency’s Director, Oil Field Assessment, Musa Idris, said that the integration of oil communities in oil spill management would promote a community-driven system of environmental protection.

He said the absence of this strategic means of checking the activities of oil vandals had led to massive economic losses and adverse environmental degradation that consistently threatened the wealth and health of residents.

“This has resulted in the development of Disaster Risk Reduction, DRR plan for stakeholders’ by NOSDGRA in collaboration with UNDP to mitigate environmental problems. The pilot phase of this project was carried out between May 26 and 28, 2014, and the selected communities for the pilot scheme were the Ikarama and Kalaba communities,” Idris said.

He noted that the pilot scheme was a success adding that the project was developed by NOSDRA to collaborate with relevant stakeholders that hitherto had not been engaged in the past in its effort to curb pipeline vandalism.

“While it is true that crude oil is spilled into the environment due to equipment failure and operational negligence, pipeline vandalism by unscrupulous members of host and transit communities also contribute,” he added.

Representatives of the affected communities, the Bayelsa State government, oil giant, Agip as well as Civil Society Organizations attended the forum.

The Bayelsa Commissioner for Environment, Iniruo Wills, who represented the state, restated the resolve of the state government to reduce disasters in oilfields within the state to the barest minimum.

He noted that pipeline vandalism was inimical to the economy as the revenue loss deprives the citizens of social amenities that would have been provided by government while enriching the oil thieves.

In his remarks, traditional ruler of Oluasiri community, Iyerite Awululu regretted the total neglect of host communities and lack of social amenities in the various communities

He noted that the communities had also had to endure negative environmental impact of oil exploration and had to purchase refined products above the recommended process, a development that made illegally refined products attractive.

“Kerosene costs N200 per liter but the ones refined locally is sold for N20 in my community. For petrol from official sources, the price is between N110 and N120 but the ones refined locally sells for N15, that is why people buy,” he said.   He urged the federal government to implement the 10 percent equity proposed in the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, aimed at giving oil communities a stake in the oil industry.