Nigeria's Bayelsa State engages John Kufour on environmental hazards’ probe

Former Ghanaian President, John Kufuor and other international experts have been appointed into the Bayelsa State government’s international commission of inquiry to assess the level of environmental hazards and problems caused by incessant crude oil spills and exploration by oil multinationals.

Governor Seriake Dickson, while inaugurating the commission tagged “Bayelsa State Environmental Degradation Commission of Inquiry” yesterday in Yenagoa, urged them to work assiduously to ensure to assuage the suffering of the people.

He said they were expected to get information about environmental health and socio-economic, cultural and human damage caused by the oil spills and other environmental damages.

He said they were also to analyse the existing mechanism between the operation of oil firms and undertake a comparative analysis.

He said: “To determine appropriate measure to hold defaulting parties responsible and accountable for the activities of environmental degradation.

“To invite evidence from the international oil companies within Bayelsa through evidence session,” he explained.

The commission, chaired by Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York in United Kingdom, has as members, Prof. Engobo Emesah, Head of the School of Law, University of Bradford; Prof. Roland Holder from the University of St Gallen; among others.