Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Iloma Community in Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State, has accused the Nigeria LNG Limited, NLNG, of obstructing efforts by the House of Representatives to investigate environmental degradation claims linked to the company’s operations.
The community’s call came after a second failed attempt by the House of Reps’ Committee on Environment to visit the area, with NLNG officials citing a lack of security clearance to proceed to Iloma community.
The House of Reps Committee’s visit was part of an investigation into claims that NLNG’s operations were damaging the community’s environment
Speaking, a former Local Government Chairman of Bonny, Abinye Alex-Hart, voiced frustration, alleging that NLNG, backed by NNPCL (49%), Shell (25.6%), TotalEnergies (15%), and Eni (10.4%), was evading accountability.
Alex-Hart berated NLNG for evading scrutiny and failing to comply with environmental protocols, urging the federal government to intervene. He warned that NLNG’s refusal raises concerns about its environmental practices and regretted that the company was acting above the law
“We want the world to see how these companies are complicit in driving people out of their homeland due to non-compliance with environmental protocols. Would Shell do this in Britain? Would TotalEnergies do this in France? Would Eni do this in Italy?” Alex-Hart questioned.
Alex-Hart warned that the company’s refusal to allow inspections reflects guilt and charged the company’s shareholders to ask questions about its activities, especially, with regards to compliance with environmental management protocols in the country and global best practices.
He equally called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and President Bola Tinubu to wade into the matter, expressing concern that the NLNG maybe clandestinely be transforming into a law unto itself.
“A company cannot come and destroy the environment of a community and be acting like it is above the law. Iloma Community may begin to see the Nigerian government as culpable in the circumstance if a company in which it has the largest equity sustains its obduracy against environmental accountability.”
Trouble started when the House of Reps Committee on Environment led by the Clerk of the committee, Eno-Obong Amos, came for an on-the-spot inspection of Park Akatikpo Community, declined going to Iloma Community for an inspection, after the visit to Park Akatikpo.
Amos predicated his refusal to inspect Iloma Community on information from the NLNG team who claimed of not having the company’s security clearance to proceed to Iloma Community after the Park Akatikpo Community visit.
Park Akatikpo Community, also in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, is also accusing NLNG and Shell of destroying its environment, which prompted the House of Reps Committee on Environment to send a team to the community to verify the claims.
Alex-Hart explained that the House of Reps’ team had informed Iloma community representatives that it was coming for an inspection, only for them to visit Park Akatikpo Community and refuse going to Iloma thereafter.
He stated that the NLNG’s refusal to go for the on-site inspection of its facilities in Iloma Community was an indication of guilt on its part, stressing that there was enough evidence to show that NLNG had activities in the community but was evading submitting itself to environmental accountability.
He lamented that his kinsmen at Iloma Community have deserted the area due to the alleged degradation of the environment by NLNG, noting that no matter how long it takes, the company will eventually pay for its alleged actions.
He recalled that the same team from the House of Representatives had on Saturday, July 27, 2024 attempted to visit Iloma Community but the visit was shelved when the NLNG staff present insisted that they do not have security clearance from their company to go on the visit.
Also speaking, Elder David J. Hart, Iloma Community Caretaker Committee Chairman, said where the Legislature which represents the people of Nigeria cannot ask a company like NLNG questions or compel it to prove their innocence in an accusation was a bad and dangerous precedent.
Hart described the development as a threat to peace and security in the area, advising NLNG to submit itself to scrutiny and thus absolve itself of any culpability in the said allegations.
“Take note that circumventing state institutions from carrying out reviews of private sector actions is a very loud call for anarchy. Any company, even if it’s partly owned by the Nigerian State like the NLNG, as long as it is doing business in Nigeria, is subject to public sector review.
“I want to assume that the company is claiming it didn’t do anything wrong. Okay, so, why not go with the team and show that you didn’t do anything wrong? Why posting obstacles here and there? What does the company even mean by security clearance?
“Security clearance can only come from the government through the security agencies. Did the Nigeria Police or any other security agency in Rivers State or Bonny LGA say Iloma Community is not safe to visit? Or is the company constituting itself into a security agency now?” he queried.
Meanwhile, efforts by our correspondent to get a reaction from the management of NLNG on the matter have proved abortive, as email sent to the company’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr Andy Odeh, was not replied.
