The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Nigeria has launched a new project aimed at strengthening the resilience of an oil-producing community in Akwa Ibom State against the devastating impacts of oil spills.
The project, funded by CARITAS Canada and titled “Strengthening Community Resilience to Oil Spill Impacts in Akwa Ibom State,” was inaugurated during an inception meeting held on Thursday in Eket, bringing together government officials, community leaders, traditional rulers, civil society groups and development partners.
The initiative will focus on the Okoro Utip community in Ibeno Local Government Area, where residents have complained for years about the environmental and socio-economic consequences of oil pollution.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how oil spills contaminate rivers and destroy livelihoods in Ibeno. The newspaper also reported how communities affected by oil spills have threatened legal action against oil firms over pollution.
According to JRS Nigeria, the project is designed to strengthen the resilience of climate-vulnerable residents by promoting meaningful community participation in addressing the environmental, social and economic effects of oil contamination.
The organisation said decades of oil spills across the Niger Delta have degraded ecosystems, affected public health, weakened food security, reduced biodiversity and undermined the livelihoods of many residents.
Community-centred approach
JRS Nigeria said the project would adopt the African Palaver approach which is a traditional model of communal dialogue to create inclusive spaces where residents can share their experiences, deepen understanding of environmental challenges and collectively identify locally driven solutions.
It explained that the initiative is not intended to replace the responsibilities of government agencies but to encourage collaboration among communities, government institutions, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and other stakeholders in advancing environmental restoration and ecological justice.
The project will also promote awareness campaigns, community advocacy and community-based environmental monitoring to strengthen local capacity to respond to the long-term impacts of oil pollution.
The inception meeting, according to the organisation, introduced stakeholders to the project’s implementation strategy and expected outcomes while seeking their support for its successful execution.
‘Communities must have a voice’
Speaking at the event, the Country Director of JRS Nigeria, Temple Anuforo represented by the Deputy Head of Programmes, Iniobong Ikpang, said meaningful community participation is essential to building resilience in environmentally vulnerable communities.
“For communities like Okoro Utip, resilience begins with ensuring that people have a voice in decisions affecting their environment and their future,” Mr Anuforo said.
“Through this partnership with CARITAS Canada, we are creating opportunities for communities, government institutions and civil society to talk, walk and work together in promoting environmental justice, restoring livelihoods and strengthening hope for both present and future generations.”
He added that the project reflects JRS Nigeria’s mission of accompanying, serving and advocating for vulnerable communities by placing them at the centre of developing lasting solutions.
Community welcomes intervention
The youth leader of Okoro Utip, Nsoh Nsoh, welcomed the project, saying years of oil pollution and gas flaring had significantly affected the community’s environment, livelihoods and public health.
“Our environment, livelihoods and health have been severely affected by oil pollution and gas flaring,” he said.
“Pollution has become part of our lives to the extent that we are beginning to accept it as normal. With this project, we are hopeful that we will learn legitimate ways to resist it so that we can have a better life.”
NOSDRA pledges support
The Assistant Director of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) in the Uyo Zonal Office, Akaninyene Odungide, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to responding promptly to oil spill incidents and holding polluters accountable.
Mr Odungide also urged residents to refrain from engaging in crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, advising them instead to report such activities to the appropriate authorities.
He assured stakeholders of NOSDRA’s readiness to collaborate with JRS Nigeria and other partners to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
JRS Nigeria, which has operated in the country since 2018, said it remains committed to supporting displaced and vulnerable communities through education, livelihoods, peacebuilding, mental health and psychosocial support, advocacy and community resilience programmes. Together with CARITAS Canada and other partners, it said the new initiative seeks to empower communities to advocate for a healthier environment while promoting sustainable livelihoods and long-term resilience.
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