DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan,has called on the federal government to compel oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region to be environmentally friendly in their operations.

Governor Uduanghan who spoke in Abuja when he visited the Minister of Environment, Mr John Odey in his office, said the call had become necessary because addressing the issue of environmental degradation is critical to the success of the post-amnesty programme.

The governor readily recalled that one of the reasons for the Niger Delta crisis was that of environmental problem that ignited anger among the people. He accused the oil multinationals of double standards, adding that the technology they use in their operations in Nigeria was outdated resulting in the pollution and degredation of the environment as against the practice overseas.

He disclosed that his administration was already keying into the Global Climate Change Programme in addressing post-amnesty issues, and solicited the assistance of the Federal Ministry of Environment in the cleaning up of the waters, air and regeneration of land in the Niger Delta.

According to him, ‘ The air and water has to be cleaned up and the land has to be regenerated so that our people can go back to their traditional occupation of fishing and farming.’

The governor who briefed the minister on his presention during the recent global governors meeting on climate change that held in Los Angeles, USA, also reaffirmed Delta State commitment to the federal government’s programme on re-afforestation.