Blessing Iruoma, Port Harcourt
The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to strengthen relevant agencies in the country, so as to hold accountable any multinational firms operating in the country that pollutes the environment through its activities.
The environment group envisages the process of government being independent from multinational companies, civil society organisations, professional bodies, and communities to better the society.
Acting Executive Director of ERA, Mr. Chima Williams, made the call on Thursday, while participating virtually to the appeal Court sitting on a matter filled against Shell by four Nigerian farmer, in Netherlands.
Williams stated that for Nigeria to be able to bring to end the continuous pollution of environment by oil giants operating in the nation, the federal government must strengthen its institutions.
ERA also tasked the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to return to Ogoni and other communities experiencing and decommission their facilities to end further pollution in the areas.
Williams alleged that Shell was out to disobey institutions in the country, adding that when FG takes proactive measures, oil company would be cautious not to pollute their host communities.
He commended the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari on efforts made in putting structures and institutions to make sure that the Nigeria environment is protected.
He said, “Shell claims to have left most of these Niger Delta communities like Ogoni. They left without decommissioning their facility. They left with abandonments.
“They should come back and clean the environment and decommission their facilities as well clean up the communities before they leave.
“We are optimistic that the court in Netherlands will give the four Nigerian farmers justice for the damage done to their land by Shell. The farmers have already won two critical grounds on the judgement.
“The Federal Government is trying in terms of getting the institutions , but their efforts are not still good enough. It is not just setting up the institutions, but making them effective.
“Those institutions must be independent of the oil companies. The agencies and institutions are so dependent on the companies for their become less effective. Nigeria needs to provide the institutions in charge of environment to be independent then we will get it right.
“We call on federal government to do more in effecting, executing and carrying out it’s mandate. Federal Government should be independent from multinational and local petroleum companies.
“Government suppose to regulate and determine the culpability of a company where there is environmental destruction”, he said.
Williams also said that the suit was filed in 2008 against Shell by Milieudefensie a Non-governmental organisation together with four farmers from three villages in Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa in Niger Delta due to environmental pollution caused by oil spills at Shell different operational locations.
