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By Henry Uche
Connected Advocacy group has maintained that Niger Deltans demanding for environmental justice on pollution and degradation of their lands, will be more impactful if the local community and traditional leaders join their voices with that of the youths and shun the temptation of receiving gratification, contracts and employment for their household from the polluting oil companies and their sympathizers.
In an interactive session with the group, they deplored the level of damage brought about by gas flaring to their the respiratory system, unleashed mental health issues and reduced life expectancy in the region to 43, aside destroying the major economic means of survival.
Prince Israel Orekha, the Executive Director of Connected Advocacy, recalled that in the past one week, the people of Gbarantoru community in Bayelsa state have been suffering from intense gas flaring from the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) facility in the midst of the community.
According to him, massive gas furnace being flared horizontally has even led to the closure of the only school in the community, due to the noxious fumes being emitted into the atmosphere which is devastatingly compromising their respiratory system. Families in the area can no longer sleep at night due to excessive heat and massive air pollution.
“The most painful part is that the residents were not consulted to inform them of the commencement of the flares. We do not know which community will be next to cry. The government, through its regulators -The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) needs to wake up to their responsibility.
“The IOCs have almost concluded divestment plans with no strong statement from our traditional leaders to ensure they pay compensations and restore polluted environment before their divestment”
Orekha pointed that the traditional leaders of the community have forgotten the implication of divestment without environmental restoration, coupled with the environmental damages, stranded asset, stranded personnel and stranded communities, saying that “the IOCs are leaving all these for the incoming indigenous companies to inherit, who cannot be held accountable for the previous damages. Our environment is our life for God’s sake!”
The Right activist affirmed that the residents were yet to see any major traditional rulers who would take a stand and demand for environmental justice. “If what we hold sacred, our traditional economy system, which is our only means of building cohesion of the people is almost completely destroyed, what do we have to bequeath to our children and the unborn generation?
“Our farm lands are completely destroyed. Before oil exploitation in our region, my great-grand fathers used to share with us the story of the richness of our natural ecosystem and biodiversity in the region. But since the advent of oil extraction, the environment and entire natural ecosystem has suffered serious damages -aquatic life, vegetation, forests, land animals and human beings. These have all been greatly and negatively impacted”
The environmental justice advocate added that history had it that trees like walnuts, mangoes, oranges, palm oil among others were of great economic importance and investment crops to their ancestors which yielded high financial returns that sustained them.
Sadly, he bemoaned that those crops only produce little or no yield, even cassava, yams are also greatly affected by the activities of oil companies-environmental pollution, gas flare and oil pollution.
“This is the time for our traditional rulers to speak with one voice, and do it now before it is too late. They should join the campaign to #SaveNigerDeltaEnvironmentNow and demand for environmental audit, remediation, clean energy transition parks/initiatives to create green and environmentally- friendly jobs as a sustainable alternative measures and financial compensation for damaged local communities in the region”
He lamented that since 1956 when oil was discovered in the region, the people have suffered perennial environmental pollution with no substantial benefit for them. Thus, If they must win the struggle against IOCs divestment plans without remediation and compensation, then the traditional rulers must awake from slumber, sit up and act decisively as custodians of the land on whose shoulders rest the onus to carry out oversight function over foreign oil companies.
“Our traditional leaders must stop the quest for personal gratification and self-serving benefits. Together we can make the Niger Delta environment safe again. I do not mind if my life is endangered as I can attest that, since after our last local community summit on Oil divestment and environmental justice. All I demand is ‘truth and justice prevail for our people and environment” he asseverated.
