The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) says the divestment deal of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) should be made to satisfy the interest of Nigerians.
Executive Director of NCSCN, Amb. Blessing Akinlosotu, who said this in an interview on Friday, January 26, 2024, in Abuja.
Akinlosotu said this was imperative because lots of communities in the South South the SPDC operated were still facing the devastating consequences of oil exploration in the region.
She noted that the decision of the SPDC to sell its Nigerian onshore subsidiary to Renaissance, a consortium of five companies made up of ND Western, Aradel Energy, First E&P, Waltersmith, and Petrolin, was unclean criminal getaway for the multinational corporation.
She, however, said that the completion of the transaction was still subject to approvals by the Federal Government and other conditions.
”This move however serves as an unclean criminal getaway for the multinational corporation, leaving behind a legacy of environmental devastation, atrocities, and unresolved liabilities,” she said.
She noted that there were also serious issues of abandonment, decommissioning, and relinquishment costs associated with aging Assets and Environmental disasters already happening in the Niger Delta.
”Numerous court cases by stakeholders, farmers, and host communities against SPDC are being swept under the rug through these divestment deals.
”We want the divestment deal to satisfy the interest of Nigerians, because, a lot of communities are still facing the devastating consequences of oil exploration in the region,’’ Akinlosotu said.
Akinlosotu, therefore, pleaded with the Federal Government to decline approval of the deal until visits were carried out to host communities to ascertain the level of compliance with Nigerian and international laws on divestment, abandonment and decommissioning.
”The bottom line of our position is, we say no to this divestment deal as currently being pursued by SPDC.
”Any attempt to proceed in the execution of the divestment deal without satisfying the interest of the Nigerian people shall be met with stiff resistance,’’ Akinlosotu maintained.
