By Diana Omueza

IHS Nigeria Limited, a Telecom Infrastructural service provider company in Nigeria, has urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to address environmental pollution in Abuja.

Mr Gimba Mohammad, the Director of Government Relations and External Affairs at IHS Nigeria made the appeal on Wednesday in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General of NOSDRA, Mr Chukwuemeka Woke.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that IHS Nigeria Limited offers telecommunications infrastructure deployment and post-construction management services that serve Nigeria customers worldwide.

Mohammad said that there were some alleged complaints on environmental pollution in some areas in Abuja and some states that required NOSDRA swift intervention.

“There are pending environmental compliant cases that need to be addressed, including the pollution cases in Saka Alapa Aro Community in Osogbo, Osun State, Oke-Agba, Akure in Ondo State and Lingo Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja.

“These challenges contribute to oil spills, including vandalism and theft ” he said.

Mohammad highlighted the roles played by IHS in Nigeria as a primary telecommunications infrastructure provider.

He said that the company operated thousands of telecom towers across the country relying on diesel-powered generators for its tower operations which needed NOSDRA’s oversight.

The IHS official said that he was aware of the potential risks of spillage and environmental contamination posed by its operations and sought the continued partnership of NOSDRA for regulatory training and guide.

He said that partnership with NOSDRA remains the only way to aid exploration of opportunities to ensure environmental compliance and sustainability of its operations.

“We reiterate our commitment to compliance with environmental standards. In practice our company’s compliance has been fair.

“However, while completely eliminating spills may not be possible, NOSDRA should empower IHS to manage spill incidents efficiently with the right tools,” he said.

In his remarks, NOSDRA’s director-general, commended the company for promptly notifying the agency about the alleged pollution at various locations.

Woke emphasised the importance of stakeholder collaboration in ensuring safety and environmental compliance with spill detection regulations.

“This proactive approach is commendable. Continuous partnership with NOSDRA will equip IHS with the necessary skills and expertise to effectively manage oil spills on-site.

“It will also provide the company with deeper insight into spill management requirements for operators,” he stated.

Woke pledged to investigate the alleged environmental pollutions and also restated the commitment of NOSDRA to support IHS by providing training for its site managers on spill prevention and management.

He also called for the timely remediation of pending spill-impacted sites of IHS, in line with NOSDRA’s regulatory guidelines.

Mr Irvine Obot, Deputy Director and Head of Special Duties at NOSDRA, commended the continued partnership between NOSDRA and IHS.

Obot disclosed that the agency had been actively engaged with IHS Nigeria since 2022 with regard to oil spill incidents in and around some sites reportedly linked to IHS operations.

He said that in line with NOSDRA’s regulatory mandate, the agency had conducted site assessments and initiated necessary remediation and close-out activities on some IHS sites to ensure environmental compliance and conservation.

These assessments, he said would be sustained.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa