ERA/FOEN Decries Shell’s Slow Response To multiply Spills In Bayelsa

The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has expressed dismay at Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) slow response to multiple crude oil spills in the Diebu Creek in Peremabiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. ERA/FoEN in a statement by the Communication Officer, Elvira Jordan on Sunday, said its position came in the light of a field visit by ERA/FoEN team led by Programme Manager Niger Delta Resource Center, Comrade Alagoa Morris.   The NGO had visited the community with a team of journalists following a save-a-soul call from the community over multiple spills along the Diebu creek. Prior to the visit, the community had informed ERA/FoEN that Shell said a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was to visit the site of the spill but failed to keep show-up, including the very date ERA/FoEN visited. After two unkempt JIV, the JIV only took place a day after the field visit by ERA/FoEN with Shell sponsored news statements that attributed one of the spills to equipment failure and the other tagged inconclusive. Speaking to the team, the youth president of the community, Benjamin Ebinibo expressed his dissatisfaction over the conduct of Shell and their response to spill issues. According to him, the people of Peremabiri are not known for sabotaging crude oil pipelines and so the leak must have been from faulty Shell equipment. Describing the plight of the women of the community, the Assistant Women Leader of Peremabiri, Favour Morganlamented that the recurring spills in their community, and how it has destroyed their environment and collapsed fishing and farming activities, which is their primary source of livelihood.  On his part, the CDC Chairman of the community, Basil Young narrated the ordeal of the people of Peremabiri, citing issues ranging fromneglect suffered by the community as host community in terms of absence of basic amenities to negative impacts of the current oil spill incidents. Reacting to the spill incident, the Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Chima Williams said “we have it on record thatthe promise by Shell to visit the Spill site for JIV on 10th and 11th October, 2023 did not happen. Rather, we were duly informed that the JIV took place a day after the field visit by the ERA/FoEN led team; on the 12th October.” According to him, “going to sites and communities of interest with the media by ERA/FoEN is a deliberate strategy to enable stakeholders to come face to face with victims of incidents and get information from primary sources.” Williams further stated that while booming crude oil to prevent spreading on the surface of water is commendable, such actions do not prevent the soluble elements of crude oil to have chemical reaction within the marine ecosystem, adding that this is why effective and prompt clean up should follow booming of crude oil in any marine ecosystem. He called on Shell to take immediate action to clean up and restore the environment around Peremabiri community, and admonished NOSDRA and the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment to follow up on spill incidents and ensure clean up and compensation matters are affected within a reasonable time frame.

Plastic Wastes In Drainages, Waterways Cause Of Flooding In Benin –ERA/FoEN

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged the Edo State government to compel Coca Cola Company, Seven Up Bottling Company and other producers of plastics to engage in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by taking responsibility for the plastic waste they produce. According to ERA/FoEN, the flooding experienced in Benin City and its environs is fueled by plastic waste materials that have found their way into the drainage systems and waterways. A statement by ERA/FoEN’s Communications Officer, Elvira Jordan, at the weekend, noted that the statement was the highpoint of a Return-To-Sender Action protests by ERA/FoEN and other groups in Benin City. The exercise was in collaboration with Zero Waste Ambassadors (ZEWA), Edo Civil Society Organization (EdoCSO) and Students Environmental Assembly of Nigeria (SEAN), University of Benin Chapter. The statement states that the exercise was targeted at determining the highest polluting brands. Coca Cola and Seven Up came up as the highest polluters, with a frequency rate of 33% and 23% respectively. Speaking during the action, the Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Chima Williams, represented by Babawale Obayanju said the flooding in Benin City and its environs is aggravated by the plastic waste materials that have found their way to drainage systems and waterways. He added that statistics clearly show that the identified companies are making lots of money and are equally contributing heavily to the plastic waste menace in Benin, without any waste management systems in place.  “We brought their plastic waste back to them as it is polluting our environment and based on our findings during the brand audit, The Coca-Cola Company, Seven Up Bottling Company and others primarily use plastics for their packaging, including PET bottles with plastic caps. “It is very crucial for these companies to design and develop a take-back or withdrawal scheme for their products as there are no active withdrawal schemes currently in place. Implementing the take-back/withdrawal schemes and exploring circular economy models can enhance recycling rates and reduce plastic pollution.” “We also request that The Coca-Cola Company and the other brands should have a squint at further research and development into eco-friendly packaging materials, collaborate with recycling partners, and engage with consumers to achieve its plastic reduction targets and contribute to a cleaner environment”, he stated. He called on Coca-Cola Company, Seven Up, CWAY Group and others to transition to sustainable packaging alternatives such as biodegradable materials, reusable containers, or reduced plastic packaging Also speaking, Project Officer, Waste Management of ERA/FoEN Melody Enyinnaya said the plastic pollution experienced in Benin City was appalling as manufacturers continue to produce without retrieving their waste. “This situation has thrown our environment into a dumping ground for plastics, especially our drainage systems and our rivers,” she said. Eyinnaya demanded that coca cola, seven up and all other manufacturers withdraw their plastics waste from the environment “as we need fishes in our rivers not their plastics.”