As concerned Niger Deltans and environmental activists within and outside the country continue to kick against the clandestine moves by oil majors in the country to divest onshore for off shore operations, oil host communities in Abia and Rivers states whose areas have already been divested, are calling on the federal government to revisit the pull-out while knocking the new operators for lacking both technical ability and respect for their hosts.
A visit to Obehi in Abia State where a dialogue session was held with members of oil host communities on May 21, 2024, revealed that contrary to claims by NUPRC at an accountability forum put together recently in Port Harcourt by HEDA and the National Human Rights Commission, that it would ensure that divesting companies dialogue with host communities and clean up any mess from their operations before qualifying to be certified free, Shell Petroleum Company successfully pulled out from OML17 without meeting those conditions.
In Ukwa East and West where Shell had many oil wells, it left behind many legacy liabilities which the natives claim the new operator, NDPC, will not be able to handle and has not shown interest in addressing.
The same is the case with Etche communities of Abara, Umuokwa, Umuchem and Odagwa 1 and 2. At a dialogue on divestment there with OLEGH, the people lamented that after destroying their land, livelihood and social structure for over 60 years, Shell silently pulled out leaving the new operator, Heirs Holding Oil and Gas, to announce to the people that it is the new operator.
None of the mentioned communities has sighted the agreement between Shell and the plans for tackling the many pollution sites and abandoned projects in their areas.
Already, according to them, the few social responsibilities Shell was handling in the communities like scholarships, are being whittled down with the new companies not making any effort to interact with the community people.
They lamented that judging from what is going on with the new operators, communities will be worse off and therefore, called on the federal government to compel Shell to first clean up its mess while the new operators meet them to set an agenda for a new partnership.
“Shell came to our grandfathers and played on their ignorance offering them mirrors, umbrellas, and coral beads only to take away their land for peanuts. It will be suicidal for a new operator to steal in without proper negotiation now that we the children have become educated and wiser.”
National Point observed that there is among the community members, a strong feeling of betrayal by the government that should protect their interest.
The people issued a list of demands with remediation of their land, clean water and compensation as top priority, youth employment, skills acquisition for women, health centers equipped to manage the challenges their activities have thrown up and roads, among other needs.
