YAOUNDE, CAMEROON, AFRICA. NOVEMBER 2010 (NEWS.CAMEROON-TODAY.COM)  -  The National Oil Spill Contingency Plan was released formally in a workshop at Yaounde.

Cameroon Limbe – Home to SONARA, Cameroon Oil Refinery

The National Oil Spill Contingency Plan was formally announced at a workshop in Yaoundé, which is scheduled to continue for three days, has been conceptualized by the Pipeline Steering and Monitoring Committee.

Funded by the World Bank, the plan focuses at improving environmental management capabilities in the oil and gas sector. Post the British Petroleum Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico all countries who have oil wells have been given an alarm signal and their eyes have been opened to the plight of marine life and other species who have been affected by the oil floating above their habitat. This is why many countries have been making strict rules for their oil wells to prevent such disasters in future.

A similar reason was also provided by the Execute Director General of the Hydrocarbons Corporation, Adolphe Modiki, who is also chairman of the Pipeline Steering and Monitoring Committee. He said that Cameroon being located in the Gulf of Guinea which previous research has proven is the habitat of numerous varieties of marine life and several marine currents concede and the increase in the number of oil exploration operations has disturbed the various ecosystems in the region which is causing lots of imbalances in the environment.

The Chad- Cameroon pipeline goes through this particular region in Cameroon and hence it becomes all the more important that adequate protection be taken to prevent the environment from deteriorating so that the ecosystem is not damaged by the pollutants and the region is less exposed to on shore pollution and its inhabitants who make a living from it.

Reports indicate that Kribi, Douala, Limbe, Belabo and Domta are spotted out as towns and cities that will be polluting their environment from the poisons of oil spills. People who have stake in the businesses that deal with oil in Cameroon are being provided the details of the plan and simulation tips are being explained so that they can be aware about what they would need to do in order to reduce accidents within the oil and gas sectors.