NAN-H-134
Militancy
By Kate Obande-Okewu/Jane Echioda
Abuja, March 2, 2017 (NAN) Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Nigeria, an International Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) says integration of human rights assessment in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will tackle militancy in the South-south region.
The PWYP is an international organisation that aimed at Extracting the Truth, Ensuring Transparency and Accountability in the Extractive Sector of Oil, Gas and Solid minerals.
Mr Taiwo Otitolaye, North Central Coordinator of PWYP said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Otitolaye explained that the human rights assessment would serve as a platform for the extractive companies to dialogue with the host communities thereby reaching an agreement.
According to him, the dialogue will eradicate any form of conflict that will emanate from the exploration of natural resources by the host communities.
“Human rights entail the welfare of the people, we are advocating for the integration of human rights assessment into the EIA so that the citizens of host communities in extractive areas can be safed.
“If the extractive industries can consider the health and livelihood of the host communities and reach an agreement through dialogue, there will be no need for militancy like we have in the Niger delta region.
“Even the lead poisoning that killed many people in the north would have been averted if the human rights of the people were assessed before extraction.’’
The coordinator called for the regulation of mining activities in the north, adding that government should endeavour to address the issue of illegal oil bunkering.
He said that the human rights assessment when enshrined in the Environmental, Social, Health and Impact Assessment (ESHIA) should be conducted biannually.
“Human rights issues should be integrated into the ESHIA while monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communication should be done bi-annually in a participatory manner to include host communities.
He explained that conducting the assessment biannually would ensure effectiveness of the assessment as reports would be given and opportunities would be created for gaps to be bridged.
NAN gathered that PWYP is supported by the Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development Aid (CORDAID)of Netherlands and it has over 150 members in the six geo-political zones of the country.(NAN)
JEE/KTE/MO
===========Edited by Morayo Omolade