By Ndubuisi Micheal Obineme
The Institute of Oil & Gas Research & Hydrocarbon Studies (IOGRHS), seeks investment for Research & Development to address the environmental pollution coming out from the exploitation of crudeoil in Nigeria.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Professor Akin Akindoyeni, said that the institute has produced about six papers dealing with the economic impact of the oil and gas sector, the impact of the communities which they have been operating, and taking a deep look into the use of crudeoil exploitation in Nigeria.
Prof. Akin said, “There is another area we are already researching on the influence of exploitation of our crudeoil in the environment which they are been exploited. For instance, what happened to the use in that area? What extent has it increased employment for the young people? How has it enhanced economic development in that area?
“If you go to riverine Ondo State and Bayelsa state, you will see that the area has been so badly polluted as some villages has evacuated in Ondo state due to the pollution coming out from the exploitation of crudeoil.
“When we first looked at it we found out that the areas where the cleaning is been done was just scratching the surface of the problem. We need to know more than just cleaning, we need to know to what extent that people have been deprived of what they are doing before which was making them comfortable. Not only that, we need to look at what else could be done in those areas even after they have been cleaned.
“For instance, if you take a bucket of sand, and you pour oil into it. Before, you have planted grass on the sand, and it grows. But, after you pour the oil on the sand, anything you plant on it will not grow. So, what else can you use that for? We are going to look into it from an environmental point of view as the idea is that we don’t clean the place and abandon it.
“Any organization that is prepared to back this research will be welcomed. If we have about Two Hundred & Fifty Million Naira now, it will just be scratching the surface for the research,” he concluded.
The Institute of Oil & Gas Research & Hydrocarbon Studies is a multilateral research, not-for-profit educational institution established under CAM Act 1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and approved by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Justice. The Institute has been duly registered by the Department of Petroleum Resources – Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resourcesand the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 (1) (a) and (4) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011.
The Institute is working in over 50 countries worldwide to find additional ways of utilizing petroleum resources to achieve competitive advantage, greater value and positive economic impact for nations with these natural resources. The Institute attempts to develop competent oil and gas professionals that are supporting the rapid technological occurrences in the industry..