N/Delta women demand remediation before sale of Shell subsidiary

A coalition of Niger Delta groups has described Shell UK’s planned sale of its Nigerian subsidiary without consulting host communities as unhealthy and unacceptable.

The women’s position was presented by Mrs Emem Okon of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre during a protest in Yenagoa on Friday.

Okon led the coalition of no fewer than 15 Niger Delta-based women groups to protest the planned sale of Shell’s onshore assets without adequate remediation arrangements.

She said it was unhealthy, unethical and unacceptable for the company to make such decision without consulting the communities, saying, “they can’t leave behind a polluted environment”

“We are here to protest international oil companies’ divestments from onshore assets in the Niger Delta region, leaving behind a devastated environment.

“The toxics from oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution in the region have adversely affected our environment and even the fertility of our men,” she said.

Okon urged the Federal Government to take steps towards making oil companies to remediate their operational host communities before considering requests for divestment.

Also speaking during the protest, Dise Ogbise-Goddy of Do Foundation, said it would be unjust for Shell UK to carry out the divestment plan without restoring the Niger Delta ecosystem.

She said that Niger Delta communities had been hugely polluted and environmentally devastated due the operations of the company.

According to her, the severe impact of oil exploration activities on agriculture, fishing and hunting has adversely affected the health of Niger Delta people.

“There is need for appropriate consultation with all stakeholders. We urge the Federal Government not to approve the request by Shell UK.

“The planned sale of oil assets in Nigeria should not be allowed until all polluted farmlands in the Niger Delta have been cleaned and restored.

“We are worried about the swiftness of some of these divestments without clear cut guidelines to resolve pollution issues in the region.

“Part of our worries is that the reputations of the new corporations acquiring the international oil companies are unknown to the people of the region,” she said.