Is Africa ready for oil spills?
MANY countries in Africa are in the oil business. Those at the forefront are Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Gabon, Cameroon, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, DRC, Cote d’Ivoire, and Angola.
MANY countries in Africa are in the oil business. Those at the forefront are Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Gabon, Cameroon, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, DRC, Cote d’Ivoire, and Angola.
A couple of new ones like Uganda and Ghana are undertaking serious explorations. But how many of these countries are prepared to handle oil spills? An oil spill can leave lasting environmental impact.
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill remains a lesson for Africa to examine safety precautions in her own oil industry. Nigeria, for example, has suffered decades of pollution from spills which have left damaging effects on soil, water, and air.
According to the Associated Press, about 4.5 million gallons of oil was spilled into the Niger Delta in 2009. Oil drilling without quality standards, can affect the entire ecosystem.
People, animals, and plants, when exposed to oil spills can suffer chronic sickness resulting from the physical and chemical properties of oil.
The impact of an oil spill depends on how quickly it flows, and what kind of ecosystem it spreads to, and the success or failure of containment measures.
Oil vapours can cause damage to the central nervous system, liver, and lungs. Wildlife can be at risk from ingesting oil, which can reduce their ability to eat or digest food.
There can be long-term reproductive problems in animals that have been exposed to oil. How many of the oil producing countries in Africa are ready to drill for oil in a sustained way? What plans do we have for clean technologies in the exploration of natural resources?
Angelo Munduni Dema
A couple of new ones like Uganda and Ghana are undertaking serious explorations. But how many of these countries are prepared to handle oil spills? An oil spill can leave lasting environmental impact.
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill remains a lesson for Africa to examine safety precautions in her own oil industry. Nigeria, for example, has suffered decades of pollution from spills which have left damaging effects on soil, water, and air.
According to the Associated Press, about 4.5 million gallons of oil was spilled into the Niger Delta in 2009. Oil drilling without quality standards, can affect the entire ecosystem.
People, animals, and plants, when exposed to oil spills can suffer chronic sickness resulting from the physical and chemical properties of oil.
The impact of an oil spill depends on how quickly it flows, and what kind of ecosystem it spreads to, and the success or failure of containment measures.
Oil vapours can cause damage to the central nervous system, liver, and lungs. Wildlife can be at risk from ingesting oil, which can reduce their ability to eat or digest food.
There can be long-term reproductive problems in animals that have been exposed to oil. How many of the oil producing countries in Africa are ready to drill for oil in a sustained way? What plans do we have for clean technologies in the exploration of natural resources?
Angelo Munduni Dema