Ogoni UNEP Report: Dutch Govt Blames FG

The Dutch Government, host of the parent company of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has expressed worry over the continued delay by the Nigerian Government in implementing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoni in Rivers State.

Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Bert Ronhaar told The Tide in Port Harcourt, that the Dutch government is waiting on the Nigerian government to take a decision on the issue.

He said it was the responsibility of the federal and state governments to provide the people with good drinking water and other means of livelihood for the affected communities pending the implementation of the UNEP report.

Meanwhile, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has been sued by four Ogoni communities and six families affected by the 2009 hydrocarbon fire and crude oil spill at the firm’s manifold in Kegbara Dere in Gokana Local Government of Rivers State.

The communities which include Kegbara Dere, Kpor, Biara and Dekan are demanding N121 billion as compensation for environmental pollution based on the report of the valuers.

The manifold is in Shell’s Bomu oil field, where the spill occurred on April 12, 2009.

The people affected are also asking for the proper clean up of the environment, provision of alternative means of drinking water, health facilities and relocation of the manifold station and pipelines.

In the suit filed by their lawyer, Mr Amaechi Nwaiwu (SAN), the communities are demanding N88,400,188,205.00, while the families are seeking to be paid N33,303,804,000.00 for general damages. Hearing is fixed for May 10.

The plaintiffs also requested the defendant, Shell, to contract a competent and reputable expert acceptable to the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Environmental Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NOSDRA) to clean up the environment.

According to them, the expert must use acceptable standards in conformity with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations or in the alternative, Shell should pay the community N1.5 billion.

Shedie Okpara