• Asks FG to stop sales processes from oil companies
Julia Akoje in Abuja
The House of Representatives has called for the establishment of an environmental restoration fund financed by international oil companies (IOCs) to ensure the estimated damage of $ 100 billion in the entire Niger Delta and the introduction of the profit sharing of the community gain in order to deal with this host comprehensively. Municipalities benefit directly from oil and gas revenue.
Legislators also urged the federal government to stop all sales processes by Shell, total energy and other international oil companies (IOCs) immediately and state governments.
The house consequently commissioned the Nigerian stream of petroleum regulatory commission (NUPRC) to enforce compliance with the PIA and to reject requests for sale.
These resolutions followed the introduction of an application of urgent public importance for the need to protect the integrity of the environment, the well -being of the community and the independent regulation in the Niger Delta, by the sale of international oil companies, including Shell and total energies, moved by Hon . Kingsley Chinda on Thursday.
Chinda found that the Nigerian Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) transfers the Nigeria Uptrolum Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) with the regulation of the upstream petroleum sector in harmony with national interest and global best practices.
He said that independent reviews, including those of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission (BSOEC), have documented the catastrophic environmental and health effects of oil expansion in the Niger Delta, including contaminated water sources, soiling, loss of loss Biological diversity and emergencies of public health.
The legislator informed representatives that the NUPRC had rejected Shell's application for sale, whereby the non -observance of environmental liabilities and concerns about the capacity of the Renaissance consortium led to the effective management of the assets.
His words: “In the past through IOCs, such as Shell's sale of assets in NEMBE to Aiteo, Exxonmobils Transfers and the sales of Eni/Agip to Oando, municipalities have left with unresolved pollution, worsened environmental deterioration and increased social unrest.”
According to Chinda, “the Nigerian government has the obligation to protect the rights and well-being of its citizens, especially those in the Niger Delta who have borne the main load of environmental and social damage through oil extraction.
“Approval of sales of Shell or total energy without taking these historical and ongoing liabilities into account, which undermine the regulatory independence of Nigeria, transfers corporate responsibility to the Nigerian state and signal inconsistency for environmental crimes.
“It would endanger the future of the Niger Delta, undermine the sovereignty of Nigeria and burden the Nigerian population with the economic and ecological costs of cleaning up the future of Nigeria.
“A comprehensive and transparent review process, including the complete disclosure of environmental liabilities and enforceable obligations for cleaning up and reparation, must be preceded by any approval of IOC sales.
“If regulatory independence is not protected in order to maintain the rule of law and to protect national interests against inappropriate and political interference, the sovereignty of the country is threatened and the trust of the citizens in the government would continue to decrease.”
However, the house directed the committees of the house to inns, environment, oil resources (upstream) and compliance with legal provisions to ensure compliance with the resolutions and to report to the house within four (4) weeks for legislative measures.