G.A Exclusive
Highlights of CEHRD Media Awareness on Shell Divestment and Environmental issues in Rivers State
The Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) a reputable Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) which theme is to promote human rights and sustainable green development connected with the media and some stakeholders to create awareness on Shell Divestment and other environmental issues in the Niger Delta.
The Strategic meeting was held in Port Harcourt, Nigeria on the 23rd of April 2024, this meeting was anchored by Dr Tammy Cookey the Head of Environment and Development who allowed the CEHRD team to introduce themselves as well as the media representatives.
Dr Nabie Nubari the Co-ordinator for CEHRD welcomed stakeholders and media representatives and gave an opening remarks with an insight on the agenda for Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development.
An Overview of the CEHRD-SOMO project was carefully explained by Dr Victor Zabbey, he stated that the objectives of the research was to ensure affected communities of the implications of Shell’s exit, ensure National legislators respond to community concerns and fulfill their mandates, force Shell to disclose information about the terms of divestment and clean-up responsibilities, identify potential strategic litigation and others. The study locations are Kolo Creek, Umuechem, Billie Kingdom and Ogale, Dr Victor Zabbey gave an insight on the location and why they were selected for the research. He further stated that there was a stakeholder’s engagement visit in some of these location and these were some of the Output of the visit;
- In Elebele; the Leadership Structure of the community noted that although Shell is yet to exit, there are waves of information that the divestment process by Shell has started and they are yet to be carried along and it was also found out that they are legacy of Oil spilled sites in the community.
- In Umuechem; it was revealed to CEHRD team that Shell has already exited leaving behind legacy of oil pollution sites and more findings revealed that the new buyers which is Heirs Oil and Gas Limited, a Domestic Oil Company owned by Tony Elumelu an African Investor and Philanthropist is yet to accept responsibility for the un-remediated sites.
- In Billie Kingdom; it was revealed to CEHRD that Shell has exited leaving behind a legacy of oil pollution sites and more findings revealed that Erotion Oil and Gas was the first buyer of Shell assets before Newcross Oil and Gas Ltd took over and they are currently operating in the community.
- In Agbi Community; the Leadership structure of the community noted that although Shell is yet to exit they are having waves of information that the divestment process by Shell has started and they are yet to be carried along and it was further noted that they have legacy spilled sites in the community caused by SPDC.
He also stated that there was a roundtable discussion with CSO on the issue of Divestment in Rivers State and Bayelsa State and there was also a participatory Data Collection and awareness in some of the communities/. Media Campaigns on the issue of Divestment was done, an Advocacy visit to House Committee Chairman on Environment, Bayelsa State House of Assembly and a meeting with Media Representatives in Bayelsa was done.
Dr Tammy Cookey showed the media representatives and stakeholders a documentary on the Shell Divestment which gave an overview of the Divestment and environmental issues.
Environmental Analyst, Dr Komi Gentle Wilson gave a presentation on “Shell Divestment and Environmental Accountability: The Role of Media”. His explanation on Divestment is the disposal of assets in any of a variety of ways, usually for ethical, financial or political reasons. He further broke it down for different levels. At the institutional level, Divestment is a policy and set of economic sanctions used by corporations, group of shareholders, individuals and government to put pressure on a company. At individual level, Divestment occurs when stock holdings are released because of conflict of interest or when an individual investor sells stocks that appear to have a poor future. He said Divestment can occur in several ways.
On Shell Divestment; Dr Wilson stated, Shell Divestment plans in the Niger Delta involve selling off its shares in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to Renaissance Africa Energy Company; a consortium of Nigerian and foreign companies and shifting its focus to more lucrative deep offshore exploration and production sites.
