Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State,   has  inaugurated a ten-man Commission of Inquiry on Environmental Degradation under the chairmanship of the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu.

The Governor noted that the panel of highly reputable local and foreign experts had a nine-point mandate to investigate “the environmental, health, socio-economic, cultural and human damage caused by operations of both local and multinational oil companies.”

Dickson explained that the panel was set up to hold oil firms accountable to the imperative to adopt international best practices in their oil exploration activities.

He added that the IOCs had a responsibility to adopt the same operational standard to the environment of Bayelsa as Norway, Scotland and the United States.

The commission has a mandate to hold public and private hearing and submit the report of its finding in nine months.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Commission, Dr. John Sentumau promised a holistic investigation into the impact of oil spillage in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta.

He expressed shock at the detrimental effect of oil spillage and called on the international community to give priority to the protection of the environment which he described as the collective heritage of mankind.

The committee comprises of a former President of Ghana, Dr. John Kufour, Baroness Valerie Amos, Prof. Engobo Emeseh, Dr. Anna Zalik, Dr. Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou (Secretary), Prof. Roland Hodler and Prof. Michael Watts.

The immediate past Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Barr. Kemasuode Wodu, is the commission’s Legal Counsel.