Environment
‘Proposed Expansion Of Indorama Detrimental To Our Environment’
A group, Alliance for the Defence of Eleme, a non-governmental organisation has alleged that the proposed expansion of Indorama Petrochemicals and Fertilizer Company Limited will lead to further destruction of the Eleme environment.
According to a press release made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the planned expansion of Indorama Petrochemicals and Fertilizer Company Limited without proper environmental impact assessment will further destroy the Eleme environment.
It therefore, called on International finance institutions to suspend their proposed financial support to the company for its expansion project.
The release further said the expansion project is even against a subsisting Court order against further expansion of the company owing to the destruction of its environment.
It particularly urged the African Development Bank, EAIF and the International Finance Corporation, to suspend financial support to Indorama Petrochemicals limited pending the resolution of the issues.
The group argued that providing financial support to Indorama when a court of competent jurisdiction has restrained it from further polluting its environment will amount to environmental crime against the people of Eleme.
Signed by Johnson Emere Mba Ngei, the leader of the group, the release says: “I am writing to you on behalf of the Alliance for the Defence of Eleme to express our grave concerns regarding the recent decisions to provide financial support to Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals and Fertilizer Company Limited for the expansion of their operations in Eleme, Rivers State, Nigeria.
“We understand that the African Development Bank, the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have all committed financial assistance to Indorama for various projects in Nigeria.
“While we acknowledge the importance of infrastructure development and economic growth, we must emphasise the legal and ethical implications of providing financial assistance to a company currently embroiled in legal proceedings.
“It is crucial for you to be aware that there is a subsisting court order, at the Federal High Court Port Harcourt with suit No: FHC/PH/CS/23/2024, restraining Indorama from further pollution of our environment,’’the group said.
“This court order underscores the serious environmental and social justice concerns surrounding Indorama’s operations in Eleme. Providing financial support to Indorama at this time could be seen as being culpable of an environmental crime or enabling actions that are in contempt of court and detrimental to the well-being of the local community.
The release said that the people of Eleme have endured severe environmental degradation of their land by Indorama Petrochemicald and fertilizer company limited adding that this has resulted to severe health impact on the people.
“The people of Eleme have endured severe environmental degradation and health impacts as a result of Indorama’s operations
. “The continued expansion of these operations without proper environmental safeguards and compliance with legal requirements poses a direct threat to our health, livelihoods, and future generations.
“In light of these circumstances, we urge all three organizations to suspend their decisions to provide financial support to Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals and Fertilizer Company.
“We believe that continuing to fund a company facing legal challenges and environmental concerns contradicts the principles of responsible investing and sustainable development that your organizations uphold and makes you an accomplice to the said environmental crime.
Therefore, we urge the African Development Bank, EAIF, and IFC to suspend the provision of financial support to Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals and Fertilizer Company until the legal matter is resolved in court.
“We further request that the suspension of financial assistance be publicly announced in at least three national dailies in Nigeria within the next seven days from this publication .
Should any of the organizations fail to take appropriate action to suspend financial support and address our concerns, we will have no choice but to pursue legal action against them for their role in enabling industrial genocide and social injustice in Eleme.
By: John Bibor
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has launched the 1GOV Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to enhance digital governance and improve service delivery.
The launch, held on Thursday in Abuja, marks the ministry’s transition from paper-based operations to a smart, integrated and technology-driven work environment.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said the deployment aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Utsev said the system would improve data management, streamline workflows and strengthen transparency and accountability across the ministry.
According to him, the ECMS will enhance productivity, preserve institutional memory and reduce operational costs in the ministry.
Launching the platform, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said the initiative is a major step in public sector reform.
She said the ministry’s mandate affects Nigerians through water supply, sanitation, irrigation, river basin development and climate resilience programmes.
Walson-Jack said the 1GOV ECMS enables secure digital records management, automated workflows, electronic approvals and real-time collaboration across MDAs.
She added that the deployment aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 and the directive for full digitalisation by December 2025.
“Effective governance cannot afford delays caused by manual bottlenecks or avoidable inefficiencies,” she said.
She directed that all official correspondence in the ministry must henceforth be processed through approved digital registry channels.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Emanso Umobong, said the system would eliminate workflow inefficiencies and improve service delivery.
She urged staff to fully adopt the platform and engage in continuous capacity building.
Research shows that local communities and citizens living at the grassroots, particularly women, are directly impacted by the environmental degradation, flooding and others that result from these manifestations.
In the light of this, non-governmental organisation, Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development (EUFORDe), has held a forum for women and other members of oil impacted communities, tagged: ‘Voices from the Grassroots,’ and aimed at building their resilience and mitigation efforts against climate change and environmental degradation
The forum, with the theme: ‘Building Resilience for Oil Spill Impacted Ahoada Communities,’ organised with support from Global Green Grants, was held in Ahoada Community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, on December 5, 2025.
Executive Director of Ese Usamali Foundation For Rural Development, Mercy Elemchukwu-James, said women are at the forefront of efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change and environmental degradation.
The event, therefore, was “designed for community women impacted by oil spills, flooding and other environmental degradation,” she said.
Community women were enlightened by resource persons on new opportunities for sustainable agricultural practices and water management techniques that cushion the impact of oil spills.
Lectures were also delivered on Self-care and Trauma-care, with focus on physical and mental health of the population, and increasing access to health-related resources and services; as well as on Food security and women’s critical role in decision making in oil spill and flood situations in communities
Elemchukwu-James pointed out that the event created a forum for stakeholders, civil society actors and others to dialogue on measures at advancing inclusive and sustainable livelihoods of community women.
She stressed the need for collaborative efforts towards achieving mitigation efforts, while underscoring EUFORDe’s commitment to “fostering partnerships as a critical driver for achieving a healthy community and sustainable development.”
Elemchukwu-James described participants’ design of ‘Community Resilience Plan,’ to manage and combat environmental degradation and crises, as part of achievements recorded at the event.
The forum also witnessed the launching of EUFORDs’ Center For Resilience and Rights.
“This center is established to build resilience as Trauma-Care for victims of environmental degradation, support for survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and a platform where victims of environmental injustice and other GBV cases can seek redress,” Elemchukwu-James said.
Participants celebrated the milestones achieved and charted a path toward greater impact in the coming years. They also described the event as “an inspiring and transformative experience.”
Elemchukwu-James said the awareness creation workshop “reaffirms EUFORDe’s mission to create an equitable society in which the rights and capacities of women, youth, children and underprivileged are integrated in the socio-economic planning and development of communities, for the attainment of equity and peace.