The People’s Environmental Assembly at the weekend, brought together activists, community leaders, and other stakeholders to address the ecological damage caused by oil and gas extraction in the Niger Delta region.
The assembly organised by ‘We The People’, a non governmental organisation, provided a platform for the Ogoni community, other oil impacted communities to voice their concerns, demand justice and accountability from the government and oil companies allegedly involved in the series of oil spills in the region.
Presentations at the Assembly revealed impacts of environmental degradation still ongoing in the Niger Delta environments, especially, on the wellbeing of humans and the ecosystem.
The Executive Director of the group, Ken Henshaw, during the meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, condemned multinational oil companies, particularly Shell Petroleum Development Company, for what he described as reckless gas flaring and crude oil spillage.
Henshaw, described the region as the most Underdeveloped in the country, stressing that the impacts of crude oil and gas extraction spanning over 70 years have significantly contributed to the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta region.
He noted that numerous oil spills from pipelines owned by International oil companies have led to environmental degradation, economic stagnation, and health issues for the residents of the region.
He said: “Without doubt, the Niger Delta stands out as Nigeria’s most underdeveloped region, and ranks among the most polluted areas globally. Numerous oil spills from pipelines owned by transnational oil companies have led to environmental degradation, economic stagnation, and health issues for the residents of the region.
“Among the numerous negative indicators include the fact that life expectancy in the region is much lower than the national average, standing at 41 years. People are far more likely to have respiratory illnesses and cancers than elsewhere in the country, women are more likely to have miscarriages and birth deformed babies, and people are more likely to ingest poisonous hydrocarbons from their water sources and agricultural produce.
“However, despite the negative impacts brought on the people and their environment, oil companies such as Shell, Exxon-Mobil, Eni, Total Energies, and Chevron have seldom been held to account for the devastation inflicted upon the region.”
Henshaw regretted that rather than remediate the impacts of their extraction, the companies have gone ahead to spin campaigns of calumny against the same people they have violated.
He said “In consistent barrages of disinformation, oil companies have turned around to blame the victims who suffer the impacts of their ecocide for being responsible for the same damage”.
In his remarks, Head of Department Political Science, at the Ignatius Ajuru University, Prof Chris Akani, noted that, countries across the world take proactive actions in addressing issues of oil spill and environmental devastation, but lamented that Nigeria is rather docile in tackling such issues, a situation.
Prof Akani, expressed sadness over the Federal Government’s plan to drill oil in Ogoni, despite the community’s past struggles with oil extraction.
He emphasized the importance of transformational leadership and vigilance in ensuring that the rights of the Ogoni people are protected.
“We should learn that transformational leadership is a two-party affair. Something that didn’t happen today can happen tomorrow. We have to be vigilant, we have to talk, we have to clamour for laws regarding gas flaring,” he said.
Akani also questioned the government’s priorities, noting that the National Assembly seems more concerned about the revenue generated from oil extraction than the welfare of the Ogoni people
He urged Nigerians and the environmental activists to continue to speak up, demand for environmental justice, stating that it was Ken Saro- Wiwa’s courage, integrity and insistence in the fight for environmental justice that gave the Ogonis visibility.
“There are a lot of laws in the past to stop gas flaring that says, if you flare gas, you pay so so amount, it’s like NASS is more interested in flaring the gas to collect the money than tackling the environmental hazards which is taking a toll in human lives”, he stated
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
