Some stakeholders from the Nigeria Delta region on Tuesday met in Abuja, where they appealed to President Bola Tinubu to address compensation and environmental issues in the region resulting from oil and gas exploration activities.
Addressing newsmen at the end of their meeting, the leader of the stakeholders, Chief Mulade B. Sheriff, who was flanked by many others, including Ibe-Serimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom from Delta State, also asked the president to end oil theft in the region.
He said oil spills, illegal bunkering, and others have caused environmental degradation and impacted negatively on the communities’ livelihoods, health, and overall well-being.
Sheriff also asked the Tinubu administration to ensure that the proposed sale of Shell Onshore assets must include stringent provisions for addressing existing liabilities, to ensure fair and just compensation for the “irreversible damage” caused to their land, water sources, and ecosystems.
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He said, “These provisions should guarantee that the new owners assume responsibility for mitigating and rectifying environmental damage and restoring the affected communities’ ecosystem.
“Furthermore, we humbly seek the indulgence of the federal government as we trust that they will give due consideration to these pressing matters and delay the approval of this transaction until the environmental degradation of the Niger Delta is addressed properly.”
