SACA Inaugurates Three Project Management Committees in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Group photograph of participants

SACA in partnership with Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) inaugurated three Project Management Committees to implement their joint project, titled, “Protect, Respect and Remedy – UNGP-P2R” – Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in conflict & post-conflict contexts in the Niger Delta, Nigeria.”

The first Project Management Committee is Environmental Management committee (EMC). Members of this committee comprised Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, Bayelsa State Ministry of Health, Bayelsa State Ministry of Agriculture, Bayelsa State Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and SACA. This team will help citizens to Uphold their Right to better health, clean water, and sanitation. They will be raising awareness from different perspectives on risks associated with continuous exposure of human and environment to crude oil spillage. The effort is meant to reduce widespread crude oil pollution in Bayelsa State through public education.

Members of Environmental Management Committee inaugurated by the Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment

The second Project Management Committee is the Human Rights Due Diligence Committee (HRDDC). Members of this committee includes National Human Right Commission (NHRC), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and SACA. This team are mostly lawyers. They will help citizens to Uphold and advocate for Human Rights. They will be raising awareness in communities on laws and human rights instruments that bind State, organized Armed groups, individual security personnel and actors on armed conflict; conducting Human Rights Due Diligence in local communities; and raising awareness about NAOC’s grievance mechanisms to help survivors realize their rights through structured and inexpensive procedures. It anticipated that their efforts will guide citizens to demand for human rights and spur corporate organisations to respect, protect and remedy human rights that were violated. It is envisaged that their works will generate lessons that will prompt companies to retain/adjust/adopt new policies that will improve their human rights practices in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Members of Human Rights Due Diligence Committee inaugurated by the Executive Director of SACA

The third Project Management Committee is the Agric Management Committee (AMC). Members of this committee includes Bayelsa State Ministry of Agriculture, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and SACA. This team will help citizens to Uphold their right to sustainable livelihoods. They will be introducing climate-resilience and sustainable agricultural approaches in communities and supporting vulnerable persons to enhance their productivity. They shall be linking beneficiaries to off-takers and financial institutions for loans and agri-business expansion. It is anticipated that their effort will improve and stabilize the income of vulnerable individuals, enhance their livelihood protection and survival threshold.

Members of Environmental Management Committee inaugurated by the Acting Permanent Secretary/Director of Agric Services, Bayelsa State Ministry of Agriculture

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