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The Home of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has expressed worries over the creation of ministries of Gas Resources, Petroleum, Marine and Blue Economy.
The foundation expressed the concern on Sunday in a statement issued on Sunday in Benin by its Media/Communications Lead, Kome Odhomor
Odhomor described the creation of these ministries at this time as threats to the environment.
“There are many signs to show that we need to be worried about the new lineup of ministries; three of the announced ministries – Gas Resources, and the Ministry of Petroleum and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy raise special concerns at this time of our history.
“It is shocking to see that the environment has no minister. Not appointing a minister for environment sends a signal to Nigerians about the concern to a sector that is so fundamental to their survival.
“While we have continued to raise concerns about the degraded environment, creating a Ministry of Gas Resources would only give license to the continuous gas emissions which are a major cause of climate change and attendant problems faced by our communities.
“By placing a special focus and promoting the gas industry, the Ministry of Gas will inexorably discourage the development of cleaner and more sustainable energy alternatives.
“This will further create a long-term dependency on fossil fuels, at a time when all efforts should be made to “depetrolize” our economy,” said the foundation spokesperson.
Similarly, the Executive Director of foundation, Nnimmo Bassey, stated bright future was not seen for Nigerian environment, people and the economy with the duplication of ministers around fossil fuels and creation of a ministry for marine and blue economy.
“The three ministries will pose unique problems for our aquatic ecosystems and will inevitably worsen the plight of communities whose interests are once more set to be sacrificed.
“The title Marine and Blue Economy is tautological as the Blue Economy is practicable only in marine or aquatic ecosystems.
“The government may wish to rename the unit as the Ministry of Marine Resources. The concept of Blue Economy, like the Green Economy, is aimed at massive exploitation and commodification of Nature with deleterious consequences.
“Developing the marine and blue economy sectors will lead to industrial fishing, pollution, habitat destruction, marine biotechnology, deep sea mining and other activities that are ecologically harmful.
“With a hugely unpoliced continental shelf this focus will pose special threats to our communities and others in the entire Gulf of Guinea,” said Bassey, a renowned environmentalist.
By prioritising gas, HOMEF believed other renewable energy sources would be neglected.
This lack of diversification according to the foundation, will hinder a country’s ability to adapt to future energy demands.
“It portends continuous disruption of our ecosystems with attendant health and safety risks.
“At a time when health and environmental audits should be conducted in the oil field communities, the government is poised to ramp up the horrors. This is unacceptable.
It noted that the inland water, coastal and marine environment of the country had been subjected to violent exploitation, which led to the degradation that the environment suffered from.
Creating this ministry, he said, would lead to the intensification of such violet exploitation.
HOMEF believed it was important to carefully consider the potential repercussions when setting priorities for energy policies, as finding the right balance between economic interests, environmental health, and social well-being is crucial. (NAN)
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