abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

27 May 2019

Author:
Emmanuel Okogba, Vanguard (Nigeria)

Nigeria: CSOs urge govt. to declare the Niger Delta as an ecological emergency to support restoration of livelihoods compromised by oil pollution

‘Declare ecological emergency in N-Delta, OWN tasks FG’ 20 May 2019

Oil Watch Nigerian, OWN, a conglomeration of civil society and non-governmental organisations, has urged the Federal Government to declare ecological emergency in the oil-rich Niger Delta. OWN also rejected divestment of onshore platforms by some International Oil Companies, IOCs, to offshore, calling on the Federal Government to review all divestments in the region. OWN, in a communiqué at the end of its one-day strategic meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, weekend, said: “There are continuous oil and gas exploration and exploitation in Nigeria, especially in Niger Delta, where oil has been extracted for over 50 years without any sustainable benefit to communities in the region.”

…In the communiqué, the groups said there was continued oil exploration and pollution in the region, adding that there was need for the Federal Government to declare emergency to restore the livelihood of the people. They said: “Due to the destructive impact of oil and gas extraction on the environment and people of Niger Delta, the Federal Government should pay more attention to environmental remediation and livelihood restoration in the area and declare the region an ecological emergency zone.”

They disclosed their resolve to work with fishermen and ecological defenders to stop activities that impact the rivers negatively. “Oil Watch Nigeria also renounced and rejected the illegal divestment of onshore assets by international oil companies from their onshore platforms to offshore locations, and calls on the Nigerian Government to review all divestment programmes in the Niger Delta in the interest of oil companies.”