Erstwhile Secretary of now-defunct Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security (PICOMSS); Major Lancelot Anyanya has made a dramatic return to limelight following the inauguration of the board of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), which he chairs in Abuja yesterday.
The board of NOSDRA was inaugurated by the supervising Minister of Ministry of Environment, Mr Darius Ishaku, who also stated that members of board of the strategic agency owed their appointment to President Goodluck Jonathan.
Erstwhile Secretary of now-defunct Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security (PICOMSS); Major Lancelot Anyanya has made a dramatic return to limelight following the inauguration of the board of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), which he chairs in Abuja yesterday.
The board of NOSDRA was inaugurated by the supervising Minister of Ministry of Environment, Mr Darius Ishaku, who also stated that members of board of the strategic agency owed their appointment to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Port Harcourt, Rivers state-based agency was created by the Federal Government in 2006 to check oil spill through, containment, recovery, and remediation/restoration. It was also described as government’s “strategy for preventing loss of lives, assets and natural resources”
Then a major in the army, the retired officer was the head of the very powerful PICOMSS at the onset of the implementation of the International Ships and Ports Security facility (ISPS) Code under the then minister of transport; Dr Abiye Sekibo
He was made to leave PICOMSS following series of allegations and the bad blood that the activities of the ad hoc agency generated.
The PICOMSS later made attempts to transmute into the Maritime Security Agency (MASECA). The ambition was later aborted following President Jonathan’s directive that the executive bill which was to midwife MASECA be withdrawn for the National Assembly. The bill had been passed by the House of Representatives.
While inaugurating the board, the minister stated that the Anyanya board was necessary “in order for the agencies to be alive to their responsibilities, the government counted it crucially important to have the governing boards in place”
“We, therefore, appreciate the effort of Mr President for approving the appointment and constitution of these governing boards,” he said.
He called on individuals, private sectors and corporate organisations to play a key role in complementing the effort of government in keeping the environment safe by way of funding.
He urged the media to play a leading role of packaging environment for sponsorship, adding that government alone could not continue to bear the burden of managing environment in view of other demands.
Ishaku said that the success of other sectors of the economy was largely predicated on safe environment, which has made the role of stakeholders and other sectors critical.
He noted that the choice of the governing board membership was based purely on their integrity and past achievements, which would bring their capability to bear in the new assignment.
The minister urged them to work in accordance with their mandate, toward the same goal of providing a sustainable environment and imbibe the strategy of team work.
Responding on behalf of the board, the Chairman, Mr Lancelot Anyanya, pledged its commitment to the task before the members.
“Environmental challenges are enormous; we live under one sky, breathe the same polluted air and affected by climate change.
“We have seen the challenges, witnessed it and have bore it; the solution should be our concern.
“We are going to establish policies for communicating and receiving feedback from stakeholders.
“We are also going to ensure, as part of a code of ethical conduct, that the complaints and grievance procedure works effectively,’’ he said.
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