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A lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ibibia Worika, has called for stronger implementation of legal and policy frameworks to address the conflicts and environmental challenges facing the Niger Delta region.
Worika is a Professor of Comparative Petroleum and International Environmental Law and Policy at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Worika, who is also the Director of the University’s Centre for Advanced Law Research, Faculty of Law, made the call during a stakeholders’ workshop held on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Port Harcourt.
The workshop had as its theme, “Building Peace in the Fire.”
It was aimed at promoting dialogue to enhance the utilisation of legal and policy provisions.
He explained that such provisions were designed to combat extractive industry-related conflicts in the Niger Delta region.
Worika presented a paper titled “Addressing the Challenges of Hydrocarbon Mining and Related Conflicts: Towards Promoting Rights-Based Actions for Combating Climate Change in Rivers State.”
He noted that pollution and environmental degradation in the region were widespread and well documented.
According to him, the workshop deliberations focused on Nigeria and international legal frameworks that support oil extraction while safeguarding environmental responsibility and human rights.
Worika explained that although Nigeria’s Constitution did not expressly provide for enforceable environmental rights, the domesticated African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights contained provisions on environmental rights that courts could enforce when necessary.
He urged multinational oil companies operating in the region to comply with established international norms, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
“These companies are largely from OECD member countries. They should internalise biodiversity safety measures and other international standards in their operations in the Niger Delta,” Worika said.
The professor also urged the Federal Government to establish an environmental remediation trust fund for the Niger Delta, similar to the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project set up for Ogoniland.
He noted that while one billion dollars had been earmarked over 25 to 30 years for the Ogoni clean-up, other parts of the region suffering similar environmental damage required comparable intervention.
Worika further called for the effective implementation of the Host Community Development Trust provisions under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), with minimal political interference and equitable representation of host communities.
He emphasised transparency and accountability in managing the trusts, adding that communities should be fully informed about membership criteria and project implementation processes.
On the remediation of Ogoniland oil pollution, Worika advocated for greater community engagement and inclusiveness in project planning and implementation.
“I would like to see greater community engagement, especially in cases where agencies decide how and where to intervene without adequate consultation with those affected.
“That is certainly not a good approach,” Worika said.
He stressed that communities most impacted by environmental degradation should be included at the planning and design stages and integrated into the project implementation process.
According to him, while technical aspects may require specialised expertise, local residents can handle less technical tasks such as sand removal and soil excavation, thereby enhancing ownership and empowerment.
Similarly, the President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Mr. Olu-Andah Wai-Ogosu, attributed rising youth restiveness and communal conflicts in Ogoni communities to poor mentorship and leadership failures.
“Our youths today are so much in a hurry. They don’t take time to understand issues before taking sides.
“They are easily swayed by short-term benefits and often fall prey to politicians,” Wai-Ogosu said.
He added that the crisis in traditional and political leadership had contributed to conflicts in the area.
He therefore urged parents and community leaders to instil discipline and moral values in young people to promote sustainable peace and development in the Niger Delta.
The workshop was organised by the Habitat Protection and Sustainable Development Initiative, in collaboration with the Centre for Advanced Law Research, Rivers State University.
By Precious Akutamadu
