Omiete Blessing
Coalition of civil society groups have insisted that except there is proper cleanup and restoration of polluted environment, there will be no divestment by International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the Niger Delta region.
The coalition gave the warning yesterday in Port Harcourt, during a protest against proposed divestment by Shell Petroleum Development Company and TotalEnergies, organised by Social Action Nigeria in collaboration with other groups and host communities of oil and gas in Rivers state.
The protesters who are mainly youths and women matched from UTC junction along Azikiwe road to the State Government House gates, where they submitted their protest letter to Governor Siminalayi Fubara for onward transmission to President Bola Tinubu.
In the protest statement signed by 11 CSOs Prince Edegbuo (Social action), Nnimmo Bassey( HOMEF), Olanrewaju Suraju (HEDA), Emem Okon (Kebetkache), Ken Henshaw (We the People), Isaac Green (Relief Africa), among others, insisted on the demand of no clean up, no divestment of any of the IOCs facilities in the region.
The coalition insisted never to allow Shell and other IOCs, to leave the Niger Delta region without proper cleanup of the environment and paying of adequate compensation to their host communities.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Prince Edegbuo, the activists called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately halt all divestment processes until a transparent, comprehensive, and inclusive review that undertaken that addresses historical environmental and social liabilities in the region is conducted.
“We call upon President Tinubu to immediately halt all divestment processes until a transparent, comprehensive and historical environmental and social liabilities.
“Ensure inclusive and transparent consultation with state governments and the people of the sites of oil and gas extraction in the Niger Delta before any further divestment of IOC assets.
“Hold Shell, TotalEnergies, and all other IOCs accountable for their past and ongoing environmental damage, and ensure program across the Niger Delta.
Edegbuo, further called for “Respect the resolution of the National Assembly, which has called for a halt to all divestments by international oil companies in Nigeria.
“Ensure that new operators are properly vetted and committed to responsible environmental management and community welfare.
“Create an Environmental Restoration Fund that is sufficiently funded to meet the full and complete costs of environmental cleanup and reparations based on credible estimates of independent international experts and contributed to by Shell, TotalEnergies, and other international oil companies and future operators to address the long-term damage caused by their operations.
He added, “Provide community profit-sharing opportunities for host communities as part of any divestment agreement, ensuring that the local people benefit from oil resources they have hosted for decades.
“Mandate full disclosure of all environmental liabilities before divestment, requiring Shell,
TotalEnergies, and any future operators to publicly declare and address all damages.
“Include gas flaring cessation and decommissioning plans in any divestment agreement, with clear timelines for ending harmful practices. Account for carbon emissions related to the divested assets and propose mitigation plans that align with Nigeria’s climate commitments.”
Also speaking, Programme Officer of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre,
Idongesit Alexander, said the women were angry that the IOCs after devastating the Niger Delta environment for decades and destroying the livelihoods of the women, want to leave without addressing the attendant defects.
She lamented that most communities that were thriving with staple food, could no longer produce same to cater to their need and that of their households.
Kentebe Ibiaridor, Programme Manager, Environmental Rights Action, Friends Of the Earth, explained that they were at the government House to urge the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara to prevail on his counterparts in the Niger Delta to halt flight of the IOCs.
Ibiaridor, pointed out some of the consequences of long term environmental pollution in the Niger Delta region, emphasising life expectancy of Niger Delta residents has reduced to 41 to 45 years.
