The Kpean Community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State has lamented what it described as unprecedented environmental and humanitarian crisis following a devastating oil spill that occurred in the area.
The Kpean Council of Chiefs and Elders, who toured the site, said the spill destroyed hectares of farmland, polluted rivers, and rendered the air unsafe for human habitation.
Speaking while inspecting the site at the weekend, Chief Anthony Waadah, Gbenemene of Legbo Kingdom and President of the Ogoni Association of Business Owners in America (OABOA) described the disaster as “total and unacceptable.”
Waadah appealed to the Federal Government to clean up the mess caused by many years of oil exploration before talking about resuming fresh oil production from Ogoniland.
“For decades, our rivers, farmlands, and communities have suffered in total disregard for international best practices”, he said.
Waadah said HYPREP was expected to clean up Ogoniland and cushion the effects of continuous pollution
Pointing at the spill site, Waadah said: “Even animals are dying here. How can humans survive in these conditions? Yet the federal government, the presidency, and the Minister of Environment appear unconcerned. This is not charity — this is justice we are demanding.”
He called on the international community to investigate and hold Shell and NNPCL accountable, saying: “We cannot continue to live in fear every day. The world must see what we are passing through.”
Paramount Ruler of Kpean, Lucky Gbene-Ewoh, expressed deep frustration over the fresh oil spills in the area.
He said: “We cannot go fishing again. We cannot farm. Our people cry every day. The NNPCL confirmed equipment failure and corrosion, yet they failed to act for over two months despite promises from the federal and state governments”.
Gbene-Ewoh disclosed that their repeated petitions, letters, and visits to Abuja were ignored leaving the community in continued peril.
“The silence is deafening. We need urgent intervention before more lives are lost,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the youth, Lemii Petaba, Kpean Youth President, said, “We are angry because the federal government continues to blame our people for this disaster. They claim third-party intervention, but they refused to give us a voice. Our rivers, farms, and farmlands have been destroyed. We will not sit idly by while our community is neglected.”
Since the dawn of Nigeria’s oil boom era in the 1970s, the people of the Niger Delta region have had to face its devastating consequences. With more than 12,000 oil spills in the last 50 years, the region’s formerly pristine environment has turned into the oil pollution capital of the world.
The World Health Organization has found that in Niger Delta, the drinking water supply is contaminated with benzene at levels up to 900 times WHO’s recommendation. As a result, this region in southern Nigeria risks a 24 percent increase in the prevalence of childhood malnutrition and infant death.
A study conducted by Dr. Best Ordinioha of the University of Port Harcourt claims that the oil spills “lead to a 60 percent reduction in household food security” in the region. The problem is magnified by an increased rate of unemployment due to the emergence of Niger Delta militants who vandalize pipelines and kidnap oil workers for ransom.
However, the national government has done little to address the oil spills in Niger Delta, despite a UN 2011 report saying it would take up to 30 years to clean up the pollution and calling for an investment of USD 1 billion to pay for it. The Nigerian government finally pledged to allocate this amount to a cleaning and regeneration program in 2016, but so far little has changed.
Believing that 30 years is not soon enough to save the people of the region from the devastating effects of oil pollution, Chinyere Nnadi, a Nigerian entrepreneur based in the United States, founded the nonprofit Sustainability International in 2007 to revitalize the Niger Delta.
His main goal was to clean oil spills one village at a time, and to enable young women and ex-militants to secure employment by fighting corruption. “The root of the problem is systemic corruption and the lack of transparency within society,” Nnadi said. “What we’re looking to do is to activate the locals, and arm them with new skills and tools to support their community.”
A UCLA theater and film graduate and former MTV VJ, Nnadi is using a newly approved technology called Bioclean to conduct the cleanups. Developed by a research team led by Nnadi’s mother, Dr. Fidelia Nnadi, at the University of Central Florida School of Engineering, Bioclean is an organic, non-toxic, bacteria-based technology that degrades and restores contaminated sites in less than 30 days. It destroys the availability of hydrocarbons at a molecular level, basically killing the oil, and leaves behind nutrients that catalyze the ecosystem’s restoration.
In 2012, the biotechnology was successfully used in the Colombian town of Chinácota to decontaminate its soil, water and vegetation in four weeks after an oil duct fracture.
Convinced that Nigeria’s cleanup scheme was failing due to mistrust and lack of transparency and accountability, Chinyere Nnadi brought blockchain technology to the table, too. In mid-2017, Sustainability International started receiving the support of the Brooklyn-based blockchain venture studio ConsenSys and its Blockchain for Social Impact Coalition. Together they created a platform, Sela Labs, which uses cryptocurrencies to ensure that the cleanup process remains corruption-free.
“I brought blockchain to Niger Delta because the centralized institutional nodes of accountability have been compromised,” said Nnadi. “When a system is sick, and the actors don’t trust each other, no work can be done.”
Blockchain —a digital, decentralized, virtual ledger— provides a transparent, instantaneous and indisputable record of transactions, which is publicly accessible and verifiable. Using this technology, Sela acts as a secure payment platform, fostering trust among stakeholders and ensuring that local workers get a fair salary for their work.
“Distributed accountability could be the way to serve the interests of all of the community stakeholders, including citizens, government and businesses,” Nnadi said.
The nonprofit started conducting the first cleanup pilots using cryptocoins one year ago in K-Dere, a village in southern Nigeria. They expect to deploy full-scale cleanups of the Niger Delta in May.
This article is being published as part of Earth Beats, an international and collaborative initiative gathering 18 news media outlets from around the world to focus on solutions to waste and pollution.
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Oil and Gas Producing Areas Enlightenment and Empowerment Initiative (OGPAEEI) yesterday alleged that recent oil spills in Aghoro 1 and 2 communities destroyed 50 fishing settlements in Bayelsa State.
Aghoro plays host to an oilfield operated by oil multinational, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) , in Ekeremor Local Government Area, Baylesa State.
The communities, Aghoro 1 and 2, were said to have been affected by oil spills from SPDC’s pipeline network in the arears.
The Spokesman for the group, Dr. Anapunere Awoii, said that about 10,000 fishing nets, water bodies and farmlands were also negatively impacted by the spills.
Awoii, who spoke for the President of the group, Mr. Jackson Igbabiri, claimed that the most affected communities in Aghoro 1 comprising Famous Ama, Garden of Eden, Aya Ama, Azatitor and Birigbene.
He said: “From the assessment we conducted on the incident, we found out that about 10,000 fishing nets, over 50 fishing settlements, farmlands including coconut farms, plantain and water yam farms were impacted by the spills.
“Some of the fishing settlements in the area are Amasese, Idolo, Semetiegbe, Yoba, Agoloudu, Ama Iyorodtugbene, Isun Adofeye camp among others.
“We are calling on SPDC to urgently provide alternative sources of water like borehole for the people. The people are also in dire need of medical aids and food items and the situation can lead to public health challenges if not taken care of.
“Let me once again commend the state government on their visit to the affected communities; it is very encouraging that the government is sensitive to the plight of the victims. The show of empathy is plausible and commendable.”
The Traditional Ruler, His Majesty, King Enimikem Famous, of Famous Ama Community in Aghoro, reportedly described the incident oil spills “unfortunate”.
He appealed to the Federal Government, SPDC and other well-meaning Nigerians to come to their rescue.
“We have suffered too much spills; our people have suffered from several illness such as cholera, severe cough and infertility caused by the type of water we consume,” he said.
Reacting on the incident, the Manager, Stakeholders Relations, SPDC, Dr. Alice Aje, explained that the oil firm was responding to the spill incident.
She sought the understanding and cooperation of the communities adding that efforts were ongoing to convene a joint investigative visit (JIV) with community representatives to probe the cause of the spill.
Also, the Media Relations Manager, SPDC, Mr. Bamidele Odugbesan, said that a JIV to Aghoro communities was being convened to determine the cause of an oil leak in the area.
Odugbesan said that the oil firm convened a joint investigation team to visit the area.
But he regretted that the rains and swampy nature of the area were hampering the spill response operations.
Odugbesan described the allegations of delayed response as baseless, adding that Shell was doing everything possible to control the spill.
He said: “We have been working round-the-clock since the leak occurred; we got the report and as we speak, the JIV is underway but it is not yet concluded because there are three leak points in Aghoro.
“The JIV team, comprising SPDC officials, regulators, community representatives and Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment officials must visit the three spots before arriving at a conclusion.
“The JIV report will indicate the cause of the spill as well as the estimated volume of crude that was discharged into the area.”
NINETY per cent of the 19,600 bbl (3,300 m2) volume of oil spilled in four Ogoni Local Government Areas (LGAs), by the oil giant Shell is in Gokana and Eleme LGAs.”
This formed part of discussions at a three-day training for 30 young environmental scientists for the position of technical assistants in the Ogoni clean-up exercise.
The training was organised by Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the agency in charge of the clean up, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, in collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The resource person, Thorsten Kallnischkies, said the spill affected the environment in the two councils, and that the impact in Khana and Tai was not that devastating.
In a chart, it was shown the spill affected rivers and water bodies in Gokana and Eleme and deposited benzin chemical into the soil, destroying acquatic life and and other organisms in the soil.
Earlier, HYPREP’s Co-ordinator Dr. Marvin Dekil said participants would when finally selected will serve in the field of impacted sites as supervisors and monitors.
Dekil urged them to equipped themselves for the assignment, but noted that participation is not a guarantee for employment.
He said, however, it was a process that could get them job with HYPREP or any other organisation requiring their skills.
The co-ordinator said: “The essence of the training is to develop the capacity of young environmental scientists as well as foster the involvement of the Ogoni community in the project.
“HYPREP as a project of the Federal Government of Nigeria has the mandate of remediating oil packed sites and restoring the livelihoods of communities whose sources of income have been destroyed as a result of hydrocarbon pollution.
“This is the reason we straining to equip out technical manpower to achieve desired results.
He noted that the training has shown the commitment of the Federal Government in the Ogoni clean up.
Dekil appealed for support from Ogoni communities.
The representative of Managing Director, NDDC, Senator Godwin Ndoma Egba, Dr. Princewill Ekanem, noted that 25 per cent of the 5,000 impacted sites in the region are found in Ogoniland.
He, however, pledged that with support from HYPREP and others, the clean up will succeed.
Ekanem said: “…section 2(A, 8 & i) of NDDC Act, 2000 mandates the commission to tackle ecological problems in the Niger Delta region and preserve the sanctity of Niger Delta environment.
“The commission is to work with oil companies operating in the region and other stakeholders to carry out this act.
‘’In exercise of this mandate and in demonstration of NDDC’s commitment, Dr. Udeme Udofia, an associate professor in environmental protection and pollution control, will work with HYPREP and build the capacity of those to take over supervision of the project.
‘’One of such capacity building projects is the three-day training for technical assistants for Ogoni remediation project.”
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in conjunction with the Foundation for Youth Development (FYD) has carried out an evaluation of soil sampling and analysis test results in two oil-spill impacted communities in Ohaji – Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.
The programme was conducted under an on-going community based intervention project, which seeks to clean-up and remediate hydrocarbon impacted farmlands in the communities through sustainable bio-remedial and agro-forestry programs.
A statement by the coordinator of the UNDP/FYD bio-remediation programme, Ugo Amadioha in Abuja said that the soil sampling and analysis was conducted at Ogada and Etekwuru in Egbema LGA of Imo State, as part of FYD’s community empowerment project.
He said that the project is in line with a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) which is co-sponsored by the Global Environmental Facility – Small Grant Program (GEF-SGP).
The statement said that “the UNDP/FYD bio-remediation project involves the reclamation of oil spill degraded farm lands through sustainable agro-forestry in Etekwuru-Egbema, Abacheke-Egbema and Ogada-Egbema all in Ohaji-Egbema LGA, Imo State.
It said that “FYD is implementing the project in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and on behalf of other GEF-SGP partners.”
It added that the project highlights included – Impacted Site Investigation (sampling and analysis), free phase oil recovery (utilizing international best practices), bio-remediation of impacted farmlands/ground & surface-water and bio-remediation training for members of affected communities.
The Foundation, it said, will also establish tree planting nurseries (re-introduction of economic trees for poverty alleviation and non-economic plants for short term phytoremediation of impacted farmlands).
According to the statement, “This project is designed not only to remediate impacted soils and restore them to full agricultural utilization, but to also impart remediation skills to the youths and engage thousands of them in the process, thereby reducing the restiveness in the region.
“The Foundation equally carried out compost training exercises in the communities, as a way of creating integrated waste management awareness in the state and also empower the youths with requisite skills to enable compost making from communal waste.
“The compost training exercise further metamorphosed into an essay competition organized for secondary schools in the Ohaji-Egbema local government area (writing as teams) on the topic: “The Use of Organic Fertilizer vs Chemical Fertilizer”. Cash prizes were further presented to the three schools that turned in winning essays.
Oil spill and environmental experts from Canada yesterday urged Ogoni residents, who cannot leave their oil-impacted communities to stop consuming seafood and contaminated water from the river.
The activists spoke during an awareness programme on environmental Remediation, Clean-up Technologies and Safety Training, organised by Nesdumo Worldwide Solutions Limited.
The programme, which attracted youths from Ogoni communities’ four local government areas of Tai, Khana, Gokana and Eleme, took place at First Eleme Millennium Hotel in Rivers State.
A Canadian oil spill expert Lawrence Neufeld said the best way to avoid critical future health challenge is to avoid contaminated water sources and stop consumption of seafood.
He said there is usually an oil spill in every oil producing area, including Canada, adding that there is need for emergency remedy, besides Federal Government’s implementation of Ogoni clean-up.
Neufeld said: “You must be trained to understand your environment. But some of the community members are at risk. This is because even as survey has shown that the environments they are living in are polluted, they still live there.
“The government of Nigeria should help them out. They are poor. So, they continue searching for food in the river and drinking contaminated water. If they are healthy today, the future of their children is at risk. They should stop eating sea foods.”
Another speaker, Dr Babatunde Benard Bolaji, who called for the provision of potable water and health facilities in the affected rural communities, said the training was meant to expose Ogoni youths to the technicalities involved in the clean-up.
He said: “It is a sensitisation programme for the forthcoming spill clean-up in Ogoni land. The programme is tailored towards sensitising youths and preparing their minds so that they can be involved technically and professionally when the process starts.
“When a thing like this arises, individual interests always come to play. People will want to corner contractors or, if they want to employ people, they bring any type of person for the sake of the money.
“This is a professional things and the training is scientific. It is time to remove politics and face the clean-up squarely.”
The Bayelsa State Government has said the state recorded 1,000 oil spills in 2014.
It decried the menace that oil spills and gas flaring among oil multinationals posed to the environment.
The government regretted that none of the oil companies had addressed the environmental problems arising from their activities.
In a statement in Yenagoa, the state capital, by Governor Seriake Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the government said compensation was not paid to the affected communities.
The statement said the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kemeasuode Wodu, spoke about government’s concerns for oil spills when he led a delegation to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, in Abuja.
Wodu said the visit was meant to tell the minister the various challenges the government and people of Bayelsa were facing because of the activities of oil companies.
The commissioner noted that despite the huge spills in 2014, there was no proper remediation of impacted sites.
He recalled that on July 9, last year, a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Clough Creek in Azuzuama, killed 14 persons, including an employee of the State Ministry of Environment, when it exploded.
Wodu accused the company of covering up the matter, adding that the firm hurriedly evacuated the bodies of the casualties to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The commissioner said the firm refused to cooperate with the state government and the Nigerian Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA) to ensure a proper investigation of the incident.
He also recalled the massive spill of crude oil into the ocean – from an Agip SMB Sirus offshore loading facility around the Brass area on November 27, 2010.
According to him, the 2010 spill caused an extensive damage to the ecosystem while the company and the regulatory body did not solve the problem.
Wodu said: “AGIP has continued to pollute a canal within its facility in Brass, despite several representations by the community and the state government.”
Kachikwu said the Federal Government would soon convene a stakeholders’ forum, including multi-national oil companies, to discuss the development.
He said: “There must be adequate collaborative effort between the Federal and state governments as well as oil exploration companies.
“On this, I am on the same page with you. So, let’s work together to achieve proper solutions to these problems. We need proper articulation and engagement of these issues.”
Residents of Edjophe, Otor-Edo and Iwhrekan communities in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management of the Nigeria Development Petroleum Company (NPDC) to clean up the oil spills in the areas and compensate them.
They threatened to shut down the Utorogu Gas Plant and other oil facilities in their area, if the company failed to accede to their demands within the period.
The communities petitioned the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), alleging that NPDC’s management absconded after what they called hurried Joint Investigation (JIV).
The communities, which also copied the Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the National Assembly in their petition, said the oil spills occurred on April 28.
They said the residents had been living in pains.
The communities regretted that they could no longer carry out their usual fish farming or drink from the polluted water.
They added that NPDC officials only carried out JIV, where it was established that it was due to their equipment’s failure and promised to return the next day to assess the extent of damage before making adequate compensation.
Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State has gradually become synonymous with oil spills and related incidences. The council, which is a major host to oil installations operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), has large portion of its environment polluted by oil slicks.
•Fishing water course devastated due to the spill
The frequency of oil spills in the council has no doubt affected negatively the image of NAOC and raised questions on double standard modus operandi of oil companies operating in Nigeria. Recently, an oil spill site belonging to Agip in Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw, exploded into an inferno and consumed over 12 lives who were there for a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV).
Though Governor Seriake Dickson barked and ordered a forensic investigation to determine the cause of explosion, there are no signs that real probe in that spirit, which the governor initially reacted, is ongoing. The victims may have also died in vain.
As the state is mourning the tragedy, another leakage of crude oil has been reported in Agip’s Ossiama-Ogboinbiri and Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba pipelines. The pipeline traverses Keme-ebiama,Okpotuwari and Ondewari community environment in the council. The pipelines have recently become notorious for oil spills and most of the spills are said to be caused by equipment failure. It seems the company’s pipelines have collapsed and due for change.
•Booms found in the environment when ERA first visited
The Environmental Right Action (ERA) in its latest report signed by its State Officer, Mr. Alagoa Moris, commented on the pipelines. It said: “The crux of the matter here is the increasing number of oil spills along this pipeline; even though the pipeline Right Of Way contains three different oil bearing pipelines.
“And, while some of the spills were officially attributed to equipment failure incidents; others were reported as third party interference cases. The Environmental Rights Action have investigated and reported quite a good number of spills along this pipeline”.
Recently, a spot on the pipeline was reported to be bubbling seriously with a spill. Describing the seriousness of the spill, ERA’s report said: “It was surprising to see the spot the crude oil finally came out with fury; bubbling and with the characteristic rising and falling movement of a boiling pot, accompanied by a familiar sound”.
But the Project Officer, Ondewari Health, Education and Environment Projects, Mr. Tontiemote Yeiyei, confirmed that the seriousness of the spill forced Agip to return to site. He said the company’s representatives were accompanied to the site by delegates from Ondewari, Okpotuwari and Keme-Ebiama.
He said: “They excavated the spot where crude oil was still coming out from the ground. Incidentally; that spot was only the soft spot where the crude oil found its way to the surface; the main ruptured spot on the body of the oil bearing pipe was a little bit away from where the crude oil was gushing out on the ground.
“Everyone present saw that, even though the Aqua-rap was still on the body of the pipe, the crude oil was escaping from the pipe. The Agip technicians tore open the Aqua-rap before the main ruptured spot was properly identified”.
He said apart from an official whom Agip representatives claimed was from the National Oil Spill Detection Regulatory Agency (NOSDRA), no representatives of other regulatory agencies like the ministry of environment followed Agip to the spill site.
He added: “Even though it was obvious that the cause of spill was equipment failure; we demanded to hear from the Agip representatives. Unfortunately they failed to be categorical about that information; they only told us that they will go and examine the photos they took of the ruptured spot and it is the outcome laboratory analysis which would say whether the spill was as a result of equipment failure or third party interference.
“They then promised returning to site the next day, being Wednesday. And, although no documents were signed and we were not comfortable with their statement of going to do laboratory analysis before telling us cause of spill; because we were confident of what we saw; we took it as they said; with the hope of carrying out a proper JIV and repairs on Wednesday’’.
Another mysterious fire
Agip promised to return on Wednesday, July 22. But before they could make good their promise, a consuming fire descended on the spill site. Environmental experts are becoming curious over incessant fire outbreaks in spill sites belonging to Agip. On Wednesday morning, residents of the communities reported a thick smoke emanating from the impacted environment.
Youths of the three communities were said to have tried to put out the fire. It was gathered that two persons one each from Ondewari and Okpotuwari were arrested by the Oil and Gas Task Force operating in the local government area and were taken to Yenagoa, the state capital for further investigation and interrogation. Following the fire incident, Agip suspended the agreed visit.
Crude oil spreads
Despite the fire, communities linked to Ogboinbiri River woke up to see crude oil all over their environment. Gbarain community downstream the river was the first to raise the alarm. A resident, Boro Jonah said: “As I speak with you our river is covered with crude oil and we are really surprised; as we don’t know where this oil slick is coming from”.
Also, the Keme-Ebiama community along the same river confirmed that the spill has spread to its environment. The Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC) of Keme-Ebiama, Mr. Columbus John-Bull said: ‘’The River right in front of our community has been covered with crude oil. We have no doubt that it is spreading from the spill point in our community environment.
“Already, it has impacted our swamp, ponds and lake in the bush and now; it has spread to the river. As bad as the scenario is, we are trying to see how we can also capture the incident by taking photos and video shots’’.
On July 25th, representatives of NAOC returned to the spill point for repairs. They were reportedly escorted to the area by four armed security operatives. But there Walsh a problem. A serious disagreement ensued between the communities and the firm’s delegates.
The communities questioned the modalities adopted by the firm to chantry out the JIV and repairs of the ruptured spot. They complained that there was no sign of a JIV team and JIV forms. Besides, the three communities demanded N400,000 each from Agip for bush entry.
The CDC Chairman of Ondewari community, Mr. Charles Igoniwari, accused the company of not doing the right thing.
He said: “What we are demanding is that, before going ahead with the repairs we need to experience the normal JIV process. Incidentally Agip is not here with the JIV forms and, how do they expect us to conclude and leave this site without filling and signing the JIV report which we ought to sign here at the site?
“We want to ensure the essential details about the spill incident are documented before anything else. That is the demand and stance of the three communities. And, rather than complying with the just demand, Agip is now adopting the method of passing through the state government to intimidate us.
“They thought we are ignorant of what the procedures are that is why they want to intimidate us but we won’t succumb to the pressure; they should rather do the right thing’’.
On the demand for money before the JIV and repairs, he said: “Yes, we were demanding that money as part of the bush entry, site fee that even Agip cannot say our demand is out of place. Although the amounts may vary, Agip normally pay in other places too when community persons assist them during such visits to site when spills occur.
“That demand has nothing to do with our main demand. Our main demand is that Agip should follow ‘due process’. We want the JIV carried out before going ahead with repairs.
“They are not here with the JIV forms for us to fill. The regulators are not even here. Ours shouldn’t be different, we want to see the JIV form filled and signed here at the spill site. That is our main demand”.
But on July 26, Agip was said to have returned to the site, a situation that triggered just another round of disagreements between the firm and the communities.
Yeiyei, who was among the representatives of Ondewari community at the site, confirmed the fresh dispute. He said: “There was disagreement between the communities and Agip on the volume of spilled crude oil. And, none of the Regulatory Agencies was represented at the site.
“We were made to understand that the State Ministry of Environment and NOSDRA were not with us at the site because of the recent explosion which led to the death of their staff at Azuzuama.
“Agip estimated the spilled crude oil to 80 barrels only and the communities rejected that estimate because how they came up with the estimate was unclear. Besides, we witnessed the volume of crude oil spewing from the spill site even before Agip came for confirmation and, even after confirmation; the spill continued.
“Based on our experience we thought the volume was far more than Agip’s estimated volume. The disagreement resulted into a heated argument and, Agip wanted to resort to the use of force because they came with armed military men. However, at the end of the day, we agreed for the volume spilled to be 100 barrels.
“And, while those who ought to sign from each of the communities and Agip signed their columns; the spaces meant for the regulators remained blank. For that reason, the signed JIV forms were not released to the communities; as Agip promised to take the forms to the regulators to sign before letting communities have their copies. That was how the matter ended’’.
ERA’s observations
ERA in its report insists that the volume of oil it observed spewing into the environment was very high. the volume of crude oil being spewed into the environment was very high. It said from when it got the information to when it visited the site, there was over 14 hours of continuous leakage.
Part of the report said: “The combined initial pressure, volume and time before the pressure was reduced was responsible for the heavy volume of crude oil spewed into the environment and, its eventual spread; aided by the terrain and already rising flood levels in the environment.
“The connecting swamps and rivulets facilitated the spread of the crude oil into the one-way flowing Ogboinbiri River from Keme-Ebiama axis and downstream it continued. This should explain the experience of the Gbarian people; about their river being flooded by crude oil from unknown source.
“When ERA visited first, the presence of booms in the environment confirmed Agip’s earlier visit; even though the actual spill point was yet to be discovered then.
“The burning of spill site is regrettable and, this has been part of the reason why community leaders have often urged their youths to mount security at spill impacted sites until JIVs are concluded.
“ERA was reliably informed too that, suggestion was made by community representatives that the spill site be guarded. This was made during Agip’s visit to the site on 21st July, 2015. But, the idea was discouraged by Agip representatives, may be due to financial implications such security services may attract”.
The report added: “The alleged attempt by the state government to encourage the distortion of the JIV process is unacceptable. Such efforts, if true; is against the government’s public pronouncements; of protecting the communities and our fragile environment to ensure sustainable development.
“Government cannot be absolved from the sailing mutual distrust between oil companies and communities; without taking sides government should apportion blame whether it is due communities or oil companies. The State Government should rather initiate positive steps to gain the confidence of our communities negatively impacted by the oil industry activities around them.
“While no spill is a good spill, it is more in the interest of government to support the communities where such equipment failure spills occur. The people of Keme-Ebiama, Okpotuwari and Ondewari in this instance deserves sympathy and encouragement; not intimidation through the paraphernalia of public office”.
ERA, therefore, demanded that Agip should respect the due process expected of a JIV process in the current incident. It asked the communities to sign the JIV report and demand their copies.
It asked community leaders and representatives to be properly informed about what is obtainable from any process or activities between their community and oil companies to avoid making unrealistic demands.
“ERA is aware of the fact that oil companies not specific to Agip alone do engage the services of community youths during repairs at spill sites. How much exchanges hands for such transactions is what ERA cannot say because the facts are not readily available.
“Agip should promptly follow-up repairs with clean-up, relief materials and compensation; with the same interest the company has shown in getting the spill point repaired with a view to put on the line for production purposes”, the report said.
It is most unfortunate that this special incident was fraught with several twists. The signing of JIV reports at the site leading to the conclusion of repairs poses questions.
ERA’s posers
ERA in the report raised some posers. The report said: “First of all, can the JIV forms signed at the site on Sunday [26th July, 2015] really represent a JIV report even when the regulators were not at the site to make independent observations?
“Secondly, has it been the practice for Regulators [NOSDRA, DPR, SMoE] to sign JIV reports in which they didn’t have firsthand experience of total impacted area, volume of spill and spread?
“What about other communities like Gbaruan and Lobia that have complained about the spread of Crude oil into their environment? Would it not require another JIV to get the proper thing done? This is because for ERA the spilled volume was more than 500 barrels based on what ERA captured on video clips during ERA’s visit on 16th July, 2015 and when Agip actually shut down the line.
“Even after shutting down, crude oil continued to spew into the environment; it didn’t stop automatically because the flow line was shut down, the residual pressure would continue to cause the spill for sometime.”
The impacted communities are waiting for Agip to respond to the posers.
It’s David versus Goliath in the oil-rich Niger Delta. On one side are Royal Dutch Shell – the fourth largest company in the world – and ENI, Italy’s biggest industrial enterprise. On the other side are the local people: 40 different ethnic groups, with 70 percent of the population living below the poverty line.
The companies have been conducting large-scale oil extraction in the Niger Delta for many years. Amnesty International has leveled heavy criticism: A recent analysis has come to the conclusion that the companies are responsible for more than 550 oil spills within just one year.
“Last year Shell reported 204 separate oil spills, while ENI – which operates in a smaller area – reported 394 spills,” says Mark Dummett, a researcher on the business and human rights team of Amnesty International. “The number of oil spills occurring in the Niger Delta is really disturbing.”
According to the companies, 5 million liters (1.3 million gallons) of oil were spilled during that time. But Dummett doubts those figures are correct: “According to past research, companies underestimate the amount of oil that is spilled.”
Such spills can be caused by accidents, corrosion, or poor maintenance. Also sabotage plays a role – as oil is a valuable good, people sometimes tap the pipes to siphon it away – and then leave the holes without plugging them back up. While Shell in its statistics for 2014 lists the majority of spills as “sabotage/theft,” voices of local communities claim there are other reasons behind the spills.
Green to black
The Niger Delta makes up more than 7 percent of Nigeria’s total land mass, covering an area of 20,000 square kilometers (12,000 square miles). It is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, comprising four ecological zones: coastal barrier islands, mangrove swamps, freshwater swamps and lowland rainforests.
Drilling here began in the 1950s. By now, 2.5 million barrels of oils are produced every day. The delta makes Nigeria the most oil-rich country in Africa. But corruption and weak governance translate into little environmental oversight or regulation.
The impacts of oil spills on the Niger Delta are devastating: Mangrove forests are being obliterated, fish and shellfish are dying off, and whole ecosystems are collapsing.
This also affects local inhabitants, says Amnesty Internationals Dummett, who traveled to the delta mid-March: “I met people who were forced to take their children out of school because they couldn’t catch the fish that they needed to earn a living,” he told DW. “The amount of harm that’s been done to both the environment, and the people who rely on the environment, is really enormous.”
Environmental groups are calling for the companies to properly clean up these spills when they occur. But activists say that time and time again, this isn’t happening. And the effects of oil spills – especially since they are not remediated – last for a very long time.
Past success stories
Besides demanding that companies clean up, communities are also seeking compensation. And one recent case has a documented legacy: After major spills in 2008 and 2009, Shell agreed in early 2015 to pay the residents of the town of Bodo in the Niger Delta 76 million euros ($81 million) as compensation for environmental pollution.
This represents the largest payout to any African community following environmental damage. The amount that the individuals will receive is equivalent to several years of wages.
“Hopefully this will serve as a precedent, and other communities will come forward and bring similar suits,” says Drummet. However, whether the spills of Shell and ENI in 2014 will lead to similar successful claims by local residents is uncertain: The Bodo case was handled by a court in the United Kingdom.
According to Amnesty International, hundreds of cases have been brought against Shell and the other companies in Nigeria – but the legal system is very slow.
Upcoming elections
This March 28, elections will take place in Nigeria. Drummet hopes that pollution in the Niger Delta will be among the topics the new president will work on. “Both the major candidates – President Jonathan and the main challenger Buhari – have talked about cleanup of the Niger Delta,” he said. “It is a major national issue, because it affects so many people.”
Amnesty International has now also asked the Italian Government to investigate what’s happening in ENI’s Nigerian operations. There is general agreement that a long-term solution to environmental problems in the Niger Delta can only be solved on the political level.
