“LEAVE THE OIL IN THE GROUND” – CHHELD Executive Director tells the government

The Executive Director of CHHELD, Dandyson Harry Dandyson was a guest in the Just Energy Transition (JET) radio program organized by the Youth and Enviromental Advocacy Centre (YEAC) on Wave FM (91.7) Port Harcourt on the 18th day of August 2022. The topic of discuss was “Artisanal Refinery Economy and Just Energy transition in Rivers State”
 
Mr. Dandyson highlighted the importance of engaging youth in order to curb the operations of artisanal refining in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This is done through a strategy of ensuring 60-70% of beneficiaries of programs and activities carried out by CHHELD are youths. The programs of CHHELD involve training, advocacy, capacity-building, and sensitization programs. These programs are geared towards addressing general social issues and in such programs, youths are empowered with knowledge, skills, resources and information which will equip them and hence discourage them from engaging in artisanal refining of products. In 2018, CHHELD organized sensitization programs in communities with a major focus on artisanal refining of petroleum products which is known as “kpo-fire” in the local parlance.
 
Artisinal refining of petroleum products leads to various negative effects such as environmental pollution, poor health, death, injuries, loss of properties, aquatic, farm lands, etc. He also pointed out some reasons why youths engage in artisanal refinering such as poverty and undue pressure from peers, family and society
 
As regards efforts made by government in curbing artisanal refining of petroleum products sequel to the campaigns on the black soot affecting the health of residents of Rivers State, Mr. Dandyson pointed out that the efforts made by the government were only politically motivated, hence no sustainability in the fight against perpetrators of illegal bunkering and artisanal refining. He spoke against the usual practice of spilling and burning of seized petroleum products which leads to further environmental degradation and loss of aquatic lives, he recommended the government confiscate these products, keep them in the refineries or designated locations for proper refining and ensure refining and sales of these petroleum products are done through legal means. Artisanal refining (a.k.a kpo-fire) leads to environmental degradation, health risks (such as cancer, infertility and other diseases), water pollution, loss of aquatics lives, lack of food, and it affects the sources of livelihood for farmers and fishermen.
 
Mr. Dandyson Harry Dandyson recommended that the government of Nigeria reduces and stop the drilling of crude oil and diversify the economy by investing in agriculture, technology and other mineral resources. The licensing of modular refineries regulated by the government seems to be a solution, however, the process will face various challenges like high cost of obtaining the license, politics, and encouraging of more youths to engage in vandalism and illegal refining with a motive of registering and licensing to operate someday, this makes the process counterproductive. He pointed out that no matter how the refining of petroleum products is managed, the environment will still be destroyed, and it will impact the health of people. In a bid to put an end to the diverse effects of the operation of artisanal refining of crude oil, Mr. Dandyson recommended the Nigerian government put an end to the exploration, drilling and refining of crude oil and diversify and look for alternate sources of power and revenue.
 
For the goal of transiting to renewable energy, Mr. Dandyson advised the government to have an economic plan for the resources of Nigeria, gradually reduce and put an end to the drilling of crude oil which will stop the vandalization of pipelines by youths. Also, stop the importation of cars and patronize local manufacturers which will lead to reduction of environmental pollution and invest in the power sector of the country by building windmills, dams, gas turbines and solar energy in all the regions of the country.

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