Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Environmental Rights Action has urged the Bayelsa State Government to take legal actions on behalf of Ikarama community, to ensure all pollution caused by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited’s facilities in the state, are properly cleaned up and remediated.
This is as ERA/FoEN had raised the alarm over non-cleaning-up of polluted sites in Ikarama after a blowout from SPDC’s Okordia manifold in the area since July 22nd, 2007, which over 50barrels of crude was spilt into the environment as confirmed by NOSDRA in the JIV report.
Project Officer and Head, Niger Delta Resource Centre, ERA, Mr Morris Alagoa, said although Shell carried out recovery and scooping of some of the oil, but actual cleanup has not been done till date.
Alagoa urged NOSDRA to prevail on SPDC to return to the impacted sites for proper remediation, as food crops grown in the area would take in hydrocarbons from the crude oil polluted environment.
He lamented that such a scenario poses grave danger to residents of Ikarama community unless the environment was properly remediated.
“The Bayelsa State Government, through the Ministry of Environment should take all necessary legal steps on behalf of Ikarama community to ensure all oil spill polluted environment from Shell facilities are properly cleanedup and remediated; after a comprehensive environmental audit.
“NOSDRA should rise to the occasion, to justify its place in the protection of our Environment and as a regulator by prevailing on Shell to return to oil spill impacted sites and do proper remediation.
“The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Environment should take adequate steps to ensure the UNEP recommended standard cleanup and remediation ongoing in Ogoniland are extended to Ikarama and other communities in Bayelsa State and, by extension; other communities in the Niger Delta. NOSDRA had in 2014 pronounced Bayelsa State as most polluted in the Niger Delta.”
ERA maintained that Shell must be made to pay all its environmental and ecological debts, while urging all stakeholders, including the media, environmental and human rights groups, among others to play roles expected of them in the interest of environmental sustainability and justice
Alagoa said ERA/FoEN’s efforts in following up on pollution in Ikarama community was bordered on environmental justice; pursuant to Article 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right, especially in the interest of the livelihood and health of the people.
“Shell should clear its liabilities by cleaning up legacy spill sites onshore before running to continue offshore. These improperly cleaned spill sites in Ikarama showing crude oil in the ground remains a clear testimony that there is no hiding place for Shell; the environmental and ecological debts has to be paid.”
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