“NCSCN thinks that there are a plethora of pending court cases by Stakeholders, Farmers, and Host Communities against SPDC, which they are running away from through these Divestment deals by transferring these Liabilities to the new Owners, who may not have the capacity to address and solve these years of criminal neglects and environmental injustice Environmental experienced by particularly the Niger Delta people and the Nigerian population through heightened exposure to pollution and corresponding health risks, limited access to adequate environmental services, and loss of land and resource rights.
“The patriotic intentions of NCSCN are to categorically put a Caveat Emptor, that is a BUYERS BEWARE notice and CALL on the Nigerian Government through the Regulatory Authorities to decline approval of the deal pending when Civil Society Council based on the adopted National Principle on Divestment, must have undertaken independent visits to host communities to ascertain the level of compliance with Nigerian and international laws on Divestment, Abandonment and Decommissioning.
“Secondly, SHELL must show publicly, credible and verifiable evidence that the issues of Abandonment, Decommissioning, and Relinquishment cost and proper compensation have been duly settled and filed before Nigerian Regulatory Authorities.
“We frown at this ploy to avoid paying up for decades of pollution and evading justice. We must stop this attempt to cause the laying-off of workers. This will create unemployment and corresponding restiveness.
“We doubt the sincerity of purpose expressed by SPDC: though we agree that the business in the petroleum industry remains profitable, we question the reasons for divesting some of their assets in Nigeria. A Look at what is being divested will notice old, crude theft high-risk oil assets, and unprofitable assets that in the not-too-distant future will be considered “stranded assets”. A critical feature of potentially stranded assets is not who owns them now but who can be persuaded to buy them now, and the new owner holds full responsibility for the liabilities of the former.
“The bottom line of our position is that the Civil Society Community says no to this Divestment Deal, as currently being pursued by SHELL, and hereby issues a firm warning that any attempt to ignore our stated positions and conditions, and to proceed in the execution of the Divestment Deal without satisfying the interest of the Nigerian People shall be met with stiff resistance and nationwide protests, with occupation of all SHELL Offices and that of all involved Parties indefinitely. THIS MATTER DIRECTLY AFFECTS OUR ECONOMY, HENCE, THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE.”
–Aluta News
