The planned sale of Shell UK’s Nigerian subsidiary by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) without remediating pollution is not going down well with some oil bearing communities in The Niger Delta
EastwestReporters Visit to some oil impacted areas in Rumuekpe Communities In Emohua Local Government area Rivers state Shows trails Of Devastating impacts of Oil exploration, Burnt Hectares of Farmland, stunted growth of economic Trees, vegetables, Dead Aquatic Life and its fishing activities, Hunting expeditions have also disappeared
This visit was nessaciated after Tuesday protest by community leaders to Rivers State government house in port Harcourt, as a follow-up to investigate some of their demands, a team of journalist, Civil societies Organisation, Social Action, embarked on seeing is believing impact assessment of the environments allegedly impacted by multiple Oil spills, Explorations expedition in Rumuekpe community. One of the Community Representatives and a former member of 7th Assembly Councilor, Chief Gaius Ajuru who took media men round the oil impacted site expressed shock at the news of SHELL UK planned exit.
He said it will be inhuman for Shell and their collaborators to want to leave this environment this way! He said please help us ask them? is this the way they met our farmland? our rivers? our bush? “now with severe disruption to agriculture, fishing, and hunting have caused health issues among women who have been exposed to hydrocarbons. .
“Honestly this planned divestment has not considered the interests of our community people, particularly women, we are shocked that all they are concerned about is divestment and their swiftness to divest is so worrisome
He continued, Shell has never signed any Memorandum Of Understanding with our community, MOU, they only use soldiers to forcefully loot, rape our environments take the proceed and disappear, take a look round this village, What development did you see, he asked? see what four giant International Oil Companies operating onshore assets in this region have caused, leaving behind a devastated environment, toxic environment caused by oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution.
Chief Gaius said I can tell you for free, no single son or daughter from Rumuekpe works in Shell, Total Energies/Elf AGIP or NDPR
According to him, “Communities in the Niger Delta have been at the receiving end of the environmental devastation caused by the “Shell UK PLC plans to sell SPDC shares to Renaissance Africa Energy, a consortium of investors, without regard for its legacy of environmental damage and zero corporate Social Responsibilities from the company’s activities.
. In his remarks The chief of Imego community who welcomed us in his house Chief Innocent Eruro also expressed disbelief that Shell could plan to leave without telling the community anything. He said Shell UK’s decision to sell its Nigerian subsidiary SPDC’s onshore assets without consulting communities is unhealthy, unethical, irresponsible, and therefore unacceptable, it was injustice for Shell UK to divest from onshore without restoring the ecosystem in Niger Delta where they polluted for years.
I can tell you that some of their activities have caused cancer amongst some of us here the young, old children who drink water from polluted streams, rivers and not even pipe borne water, their activities had adversely affected some husbands’ fertility making conception much more difficult.
He said after oil was first discovered in commercial quantities Bayelsa State, Rumuekpe was the second Place Oil Exploration Took place as such the Community has witnessed Not less than hundred years of oil and environmental pollution which he allegedly said have dealt numerous health challenges to the people.
.He also urged the Federal Government to ensure that oil companies remediate their operational host communities before considering any request for divestment. “There is a cogent need for appropriate consultation with all stakeholders, remedies, social and legal license to exit. . “It is instructive that the company shouldn’t divest without proper guidelines.
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. Also speaking to our EastwestReporters at the uncompleted house of the village Chief, Secretary of Rumuekpe Women Prayer Warriors BLESSING ORIJOS She its a shame that after Shell Raped our land, for over hundred years they can think of leaving without adequate compensation, and expressed shock over news Shell divestment without clear cut guidelines to resolve pollution issues gravely impacted the communities and affected livelihood Of Niger Delta women, t. According to her, Who will clean the Shell Poo? “We use this medium to call on the federal government not to approve Shell UK:s planned sale of oil assets in Nigeria until all our polluted farmlands in Rumuekpe and the Niger Delta have been cleaned and restored. let me also tell you the truth it is the same stories with other Oil companies like “TotalEnergies NAOC AGIP, Aradel (NDPR) We the women need serious help because we are their victims of oil extraction. .
“Women in the Niger Delta suffer severe environmental consequences of oil extraction. . “Decades of oil pollution and have placed them in a vulnerable position, impeding subsistence agriculture and causing health complications. . “Women are concerned because the reputations of the new corporations acquiring SPDC, AGIP, and ExxonMobil assets are unknown to them. .
“The Federal Government should not approve the divestment of oil assets until all polluted farmlands, rivers, air, and forests in the Niger Delta have been cleaned and restored,”
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Our correspondent Anita Ogona reports that “The story is similar with other oil majors in Nigeria. Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Mobil Producing, and TotalEnergies are poised to divest their onshore assets,”