Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Park Akatikpo Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State has demanded urgent relocation by the Federal Government, citing severe environmental devastation allegedly caused by the Nigeria LNG Limited, NLNG, and the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.
The Community led by its Head, Warisenibo David Jumbo, had earlier petitioned the House of Representatives Committee on Environment, over alleged environmental infractions from activities of Shell and NLNG in the community.
During an on-the-spot assessment of the environmental breaches by the Reps Committee on Environment, Park Akatikpo Community said their air, soil, economic well-being, habitation and overall livelihood have been severely compromised due to the companies’ operations, pushing them to request relocation.
Chairman of Park Akatikpo Community, Mr. George Jumbo, pointed out that just as stated in the petition before the House of Reps, the Community resorted to engaging the National Assembly as a law-abiding community.
Jumbo stated that various marine vessels plying the Bonny River owned by the NLNG fail to take note of the environmental well-being of the community as they always sail past at high speed thus causing waves that wash off the community’s shoreline.
Narrating the predicament of Park Akatikpo people, the Community Chairman described it as “insensitivity” on the part of Shell and NLNG, emphasizing that the community has suffered enough environmental assault such that it has become inconvenient for her people to continue to reside at the current location.
He said, “Our shoreline is being washed away, our houses by the shores are falling apart because the foundations are being washed away; all these due to the heavy waves from vessels owned by the NLNG.
“Even the shore protection we did; you can see it is gone, our shores were like two kilometers back into the sea counting from where we’re standing now but the waves have reduced the shoreline up to what we have here now.
On Shell, Jumbo regretted that the company has caused them more harm than good, accusing the company of discharging harmful effluent from Shell’s Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal into the community’s drainage system, saying that the company was endangering the lives of the community residents by not managing its effluents in line with global best practices.
He also accused Shell of encroaching on the community’s land and showed the Reps Committee how the company attempted to extend beyond the portion it was allocated on lease by the Jumbo Major House and Brown Major House with the consent of Bonny Kingdom.
Also speaking, a former lawmaker from the Community, Diprinye Jumbo, berated Shell and NLNG for neglect and discrimination, urging the Federal Government to heed the community’s relocation request.
“The Federal Government should listen to our appeal by responding to our request to be relocated from the present location, the sufferings of Park Akatikpo people have become unbearable and require urgent and adequate attention.”
Responding, the Leader of NLNG team, Mr. Charles Onyekatu, defended the company’s environmental management record, stating that the Bonny Channel was an exclusive maritime zone.
Onyekatu said it was unfair to attempt to scapegoat the NLNG in the matter of utilization of an exclusive maritime zone and appealed to the Park Akatikpo Community to see NLNG as a friend rather than an enemy.
For his part, the Reps Committee team led by the Clerk of the Committee, Eno-Obong Amos, commended Park Akatikpo Community for their disposition to utilize peaceful and lawful channels towards resolving issues affecting them and assured that the House of Reps would review the issues raised.
Amos stated that the interest and wellbeing of the people of Nigeria were paramount, and the House Committee on Environment would be properly briefed on the findings of the team, urging the community to have faith in the Committee.
