Coastline Communities within the Niger Delta of Nigeria have resolved
to unite in their struggle to get compensations and other benefits from the
Multinational Oil Giant,Shell Petroleum Development Company,SPDC and
the Federal Government.
The Communities who were represented by their Heads as well as other
Stakeholders made the resolution at the just concluded Niger Delta
Communities Peaceful Dialogue Conference over the Shell Bonga Crude
Oil Spillage of 20th December,2011 held at Warri Club in Warri South
Local Government Area of Delta State.
The Communities cut accross Warri South,Warri South-West,Warri
North,Burutu, in Delta State and Ekerenmo,Southern Ijaw,Brass in Bayelsa State and host of
others.
Speaking in behalf of the Community Heads and Stakeholders,the
Amananawei of Aghoro II,Bayelsa State,HRH.I.B.Ojukosin(JP) resolved
among others that community(ies) in court with SPDC should
suspend same while negotiations are ongoing just as he called on the
Federal Government to prevail on Shell Petroleum
Development Company,SPDC, to clean up the impacted communities
affected by the spill within the shoreline areas of the Niger
Delta;send relief materials to people of the
affected communities;provide infrastructures such as health
centres,schools,portable water, television viewing centres free for
the people in all the affected communities.
They also resolved to give a firm, Gbutse Property Limited with
Mr.Francis Amoma Monday as its Director the attorney to negotiate on
their behalf with SPDC and the FG for them,SNEPCO should pay their
compensations and for the attorneys of the various communities to
work in unison.
While noting that the ecological and environmental life of the people
within the shorelines have been adversely affected,HRH.Ojukonsin said
the people in the areas whose economic stay is fishing now struggle to
survive as their communities,sea and waters have been affeccted by the
spill.
The Ijaw Monarch who noted that the communities are not ready for
litigations with SPDC appealed to indigenes of the various communities
who have legal battles with SPDC to suspend same while negotiations
are ongoing and liaise with Mr.F.A.Monday, Director of Gbutse
PropertyLimited in the interest of peace so that collectively, they
could adequately be compensated financially and otherwise.
Earlier,the Director of Gbutse Property Limited,Mr.Francis Amoma
Monday while Briefing the audience,said the
essence of the peaceful dialogue conference is for the communities
impacted by the oil spill to come together and resolve the dispute
amicably with SPDC and the FG noting that the United Kingdom have
taken the matter up with SPDC while the United Nations have also
indicated interest in the matter.
Mr. F.A.Monday said efforts by his firm to bring SPDC to dialogue failed.
Mr.Monday alleged that SPDC earlier cleaned up the environment by
local contractors from Burutu and Ekerenmor Communities.
Mr.Monday disclosed that Aggen Community in Bayelsa State refused SPDC
from cleaning up the environment until Shell owned up that the
spill affected the shorelines of the Niger Delta.
He said Aggen Community went to the House of Representatives as well
as the Senate for a redress of the matter pointing out that in all SPDC
failed and later maintained that it is only communities within the
shorelines that will be compensated.
While communities outside the shorelines were adviced to come up with
concrete evidence effect of the spill to be qualified for compensations.
Mr.Monday also noted that NODREA also failed in endorsing a
joint investigation visit be carried out in the oil impacted
communities to ascertain the cause and level of damage of the oil
spill.
While Stakeholders from the various communities supported the
resolution reached by the community heads, a few others like
Barr.Emiko.E.Emiko of Ekerenmor Community and other Attorneys present
expressed dissatisfaction at the manner the resolutions were reached noting
that they were
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