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Oil Spill: Fishermen Demand N4.32bn Compensation From Shell

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12 years ago

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The Artisan Fishermen of

Nigeria (ARFAN), Niger Delta region, has demanded N4.32 billion compensation from Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Co. (SNEPCo) for five states impacted by oil spill in the region.

The Association’s Secretary and Niger Delta Coordinator, Elder Inyang Ekong, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Eket, Akwa Ibom.

He said that the claims and compensation were necessary due to the extent and impact of the spill on the people of the region.

The Tide source recalls that SNEPCo on the Bonga oil spill located offshore Nigeria, estimates that about 40,000 barrels of crude oil escaped into the Atlantic Ocean on December 20, 2011.

Ekong said that the oil spill had caused untold hardship to the fishing communities and to the association members in the region.

“We have written and nothing has been done for us, we are still waiting and we went on consultation and still nothing is happening.

“Up till today, we have not received any positive response from the regulators nor from the Federal Government.

“We have been so weak and sorrowful because our members are frustrated by the oil spill that cut across the whole Niger Delta Region,” Ekong said.

According to him, the effect of the oil spill has thrown the fishermen in all the states of the region into “a very big confusion’’.

Ekong said that sea weeds had been noticed on the ocean floor from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo and Rivers, adding that the development has resulted in the scarcity of fish in the area.

According to him, the massive depletion of sea weeds has led to scarcity of fish and sardine in the market.

“The effect of the oil spill was such that sea weeds were removed from the ocean bed up to the surface of the water.

“When the fishermen go out for fishing, they catch sea weeds instead of fish and their nets are affected by the spill equally.

“About 200 Akwa Ibom fishermen died as a result of starvation and hunger caused by the oil spill in the region in the last two years”.

Ekong said that the Association had send delegates to meet with the NOSDRA, at the headquarters, Abuja on effect of Bonga oil spill to members but to no avail.

He said that Akwa Ibom was the worst hit during the oil spill in the region, saying that fishermen in the state had to go beyond the boundaries with other countries in search of fish to sustain their livelihood.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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21 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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21 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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21 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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