The people of Eastern Obolo and other riverine communities along the Atlantic coast in the bight of Bonny, in the Niger Delta region have lamented over the water pollution and other environmental hazards discharged in their fishing area by the operators of the FPSO Armada Perkassa (Princess Aweni) in the Okoro- Setu field.
Early 2020 AMNI Petroleum Development Company, operators of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 112, Okoro Field, in Eastern Obolo local government, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria contracted SHELF Drilling Nigeria to carry out drilling contract for the company.
After the drilling exercise on the drilling rig owned by SHELF Drilling, the company discharged its dangerous drilling chemicals into the community fishing waters.
When contacted, the company denied the act. But the community insisted and told the company that they have a recorded video of the discharge.
Then the company requested that the video be sent to enable them study it before coming up with a position.
However, the community declined releasing the video to them since the community does not trust the company on what may happen if the video is released to them.
About three years after the incident, the community is demanding for justice through a peaceful protest against SHELF drilling criminal act and negligence by the government of Nigeria and its regulatory agencies in Eastern Obolo territorial waters.
During the peaceful protest at its water front, the community called on the government of Akwa Ibom state, the federal government of Nigeria and the international community to compel SHELF drilling and AMNI petroleum development company to do the needful, own up and take responsibility to clean up the environment and pay compensation for loss of livelihood and damage done to her marine ecosystem.
In an exclusive interview with Mr Gabriel Gabriel, president of Eastern Obolo interest group, he decried the long silence of the company over the matter since the complaint was launched.
He said the community is against any attempt to carry on new drilling operation until proper investigation and assessment is carried out to determine the extent of damage done to the community, and propercleanup is done.
He claimed that as a coastal community, the economic mainstay of the people of Eastern Obolo is fishing, and that the livelihood of the entire community and other neighboring communities in the region have been destroyed by the activities of SHELF drilling.
He therefore called on the company to engage the community in a meaningful negotiation for compensation to the fisher folks whose means of survival had been hampered.
According to him, the community was ready to take up the campaign to the international levels but the paramount ruler HRM Uboon (Rt. Hon/Elder) Harry J. Etetor, Ilile IX, Paramount Ruler, Eastern Obolo LGA, opted for diplomacy, proposing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) instead of confrontation. But regretted the nonchalant attitude of the company in the matter.
A reliable source has confirmed to Kallop Humanitarian and Environmental Centre the irresponsiveness of SHELF drilling in the disposal of drilling mud and other harmful chemicals after drilling.
In a related development, the activities of the company were also reported to Chief Nte Ukoirem, Village Head of Edonwik village and chairman, Eastern Obolo/AMNI Petroleum Development Community Relation Committee, and he invited the company for a dialogue as a means to resolving the matter, but SHELF Drilling, allegedly refused to honour the invitation.
Mr Gabriel said, his community had tried every available means to engage the company in order to resolve the matter, but lamented that the company has consistently denied and refused to engage with the community.
He said the company’s unprofessional waste disposal strategy has disrupted fishing activities in the area and called on the company to come and meet with the community for proper negotiation and settlement before any expansion work.
“Failure to comply with this simple and peaceful demand, will spark more protests in the coming days.
Today is the beginning of series of protests until the right things are done” he concluded.
In the same vein, Mr. Anthony Aalo, the Executive Director of Kallop Humanitarian and Environmental Center expressed displeasure in the manner in which oil companies and their contractors operate in the Niger Delta communities.
He said the oil companies have no regards for human lives in the region and that Kallop center will continue to support oil bearing communities in the Niger Delta for environmental justice.
Mr. Aalo said the injustice in the Eastern Obolo will no longer be business as usual as the company responsible will be brought to book.
He further said that the government regulatory agencies should live up to expectation by monitoring the activities of the oil companies and their operation in the region.
