By Samuel Udoma
Senator Ekong Sampson, representing Akwa Ibom South in the National Assembly, has raised fresh concerns over the persistent gas flaring in oil-producing communities in Akwa Ibom South and the larger coastal corridor, describing the practice as a major environmental and public health challenge that demands urgent national attention.
The lawmaker made the remarks during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) with representatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and other critical stakeholders in Nigeria’s petroleum industry. The meeting, which was held last Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja, was convened to brainstorm practical measures and legislative input towards curbing crude oil theft and protecting the nation’s oil assets.
Speaking during the interactive session, Senator Sampson lamented that communities across Akwa Ibom South and the wider Niger Delta region have continued to bear the brunt of decades of gas flaring, with attendant environmental degradation, loss of livelihoods and serious health implications for residents.
Sampson who served one-time as Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Petroleum Resources in Akwa Ibom State, stressed that while concerted efforts are being made to combat oil theft and pipeline vandalism, equal attention must be given to ending environmentally harmful practices that continue to affect host communities.
The Senator called for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations, sustained investment in gas utilisation infrastructure and greater commitment by operating companies to comply with global best practices aimed at eliminating routine gas flaring and other hazards caused by oil exploration.
Senator Sampson also used the opportunity to shed more light over the common misconception regarding the history of oil exploration in Nigeria. According to him, the first oil discovery in Nigeria was made at Ikot Akpa Ekop in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, years before the later discovery of oil in commercial quantity at Oloibiri in present-day Bayelsa State.
Sampson explained that while Oloibiri may have gained prominent attention in the oil conversation as the site of Nigeria’s first commercial oil discovery, the country’s earliest oil well was drilled at Ikot Akpa Ekop, making Akwa Ibom an integral part of the nation’s petroleum history.
The lawmaker noted that acknowledging this historical fact is important in ensuring that the contributions of pioneering communities are accorded due recognition. He lamented the plights of most of the oil-bearing communities especially in basic amenities, noting for instance that, Ikot Akpa Ekop never had potable water and school facilities, until when he provided them when he was in the State House of Assembly.
Participants in their submissions examined the security, economic and environmental implications of oil theft, while exploring legislative reform in appropriate punitive measures for offenders, sectoral collaboration, intelligence sharing, deployment of technology and stronger community engagement as key strategies for safeguarding Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Williams Eteng (Cross River Central), while summarizing the sentiments of members, underscored the enormous revenue losses occasioned by crude oil theft and reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to supporting legislative and policy measures that will strengthen energy security, increase oil production and ensure that host communities benefit from responsible and sustainable exploitation of the nation’s resources.
