The director general and chief executive of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke, has expressed the agency’s dedication to implementing the federal government’s directives regarding the Personnel Management System (PMS) framework for civil servants.
Woke made this statement during a two-day workshop on the implementation of the PMS Framework for the agencies of the Federal Ministry of Environment, held recently in Abuja.
He outlined NOSDRA’s pivotal role as a leading agency under the Federal Ministry of Environment, particularly in addressing oil spills and pollution across the nation, with a special emphasis on the Niger Delta region.
The director general also noted the workshop’s timely relevance and highlighted the primary mandate of NOSDRA and its alignment with the PMS framework. He underscored the importance of this framework for the professional development of agency staff.
Woke urged all personnel to embrace the knowledge offered in the workshop, emphasising that it is essential for enhancing their competencies and skills, which are crucial for career advancement in public service.
He stated, “NOSDRA was established by Act No. 15 of 2006 (now Cap N157, LFN, 2011) with the primary objective of coordinating and implementing the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Nigeria. Our goal is to ensure a safe, timely, effective, and appropriate response to significant oil spill incidents, identify high-risk areas, and prioritise efforts for protection and cleanup.
“We are committed to establishing mechanisms for monitoring and assisting, or when necessary, directing responses, including mobilising the required resources to save lives, protect the environment, and restore impacted sites to the greatest practical extent.”
Woke also emphasised that NOSDRA is tasked with the statutory primary responsibility of coordinating and implementing the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Nigeria within a range of 200 nautical miles from the baseline used to measure the breadth of Nigeria’s territorial waters. This includes conducting surveillance, reporting, alerting, and executing various response activities related to oil spills.
He articulated the significance of the federal government’s PMS framework in achieving NOSDRA’s objectives and fulfilling its critical responsibilities. Engr. Woke noted that the agency relies on a dedicated team of technical and administrative staff, who are civil servants, and the PMS framework provides them with improved assessment capabilities, enhances performance, and facilitates effective reporting in line with the Public Service Rules (PSR), 2021.