By Obinna Mbajunwa

The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to protect the state from untold economic hardship and environmental degradation with the activities of oil companies due to the recent discovery of oil in certain areas of Lagos.

Speaking on the negative effect, the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa recently disclosed that, there was a need for the government to be proactive on the matter and protect both the state and the host communities from the negative effects of exploration.

Gov Ambode

According to him, “We must safeguard the host communities and we must commend the companies that have been investing in oil exploration in the state over the years before oil was eventually discovered here”, he said.

He reiterated that, all necessary infrastructures must be put in place to protect the state and the host communities so that we would prevent what is happening in Niger Delta from happening in Lagos.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker from Badagry Constituency 2, David Setonji expressed fears that the exploration would negatively affect his people as well as fishing activities in the area.

According to him, “if government fails to address such environmental degradation, the fishing activity would be grossly affected. “We need Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, on the discovery to know what would eventually happen to people when exploration starts.

Contributing, the Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshinlokun observed that there was need to learn from the past with the destruction of marine life, environmental pollution and oil spillage in the Niger Delta.

He recalled the effort of the past government to provide palliatives for oil producing states and the people of the Niger Delta in the country, adding that, the oil companies must tell the government how they would handle the consequences of the exploration.

Supporting the matter, the Chairman, House Committee on Energy and Mineral Resources, Folajimi
Mohammed said that all stakeholders should come together to discuss the socio-economic importance of the exploration of oil in the state and related issues.