New Oil Spill in Rivers State: Oilwatch Africa Calls for Offenders to be brought to Book

Oilwatch Africa, a network that builds solidarity and promotes a common identity in the peoples of the Global South has called on relevant authorities to take steps in ensuring that offending parties in the two major oil spills that took place in Rivers communities are brought to book.

It could be recalled that one oil spill was reported from a pipeline owned by Shell in Eteo community on June 13 2023 while another occurred at Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday, June 18 2023 in Oke-Olebo stream which is the only source of fresh water for the community. 

In reaction, Oilwatch Africa in a statement issued recently insisted that polluters should be held accountable for the loss and damages inflicted on communities.

The statement quoting Nnimmo Bassey, the Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and member of Oilwatch steering committee called on the Hydrocarbons Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to take into account the new oil spills that threatens to derail the ongoing cleanup process of the Niger Delta.

He noted that steps must be taken immediately to ensure accountability by offending parties.

Also quoting the coordinator of Oilwatch Africa, Salome Nduta, she expressed dissatisfaction over the action of oil companies in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa. noting that the recent development coupled with the recently concluded Africa Energy Summit held in the United Kingdom showed that Africa is not just a geographical location but it is also a cow that should be milked dry for the gains of her captors.

 Nduta said this must not be allowed to continue hence polluters must be held accountable for loss and damage inflicted on communities in Africa.

Oilwatch Africa called on the Nigerian government to take charge and ensure the proper clean-up of polluted lands and as well payment of compensation for damage suffered. 

Part of the statement reads ” With two major oil spills within a week in Rivers State, Nigeria, it is obvious that the oil companies are yet to show seriousness about ensuring that their facilities are in good working conditions, it is quite alarming that rather than remediating the harms, more investments are being made to expand the areas of threat. 

“New investments in the fossil fuels sector and incessant new oil spills threaten to push the world into climate catastrophe and expose the wrong-headed pathway taken by nations when they gather at COPs for climate negotiations.

“As a group,we further charge all African governments to invest in renewable energy taking into consideration the true cost of extraction which is causing more harm than good to her peoples.