Demands by the people of Isoko community during the Niger Delta Oil Impacted Communities Dialogue, held in Olomoro Isoko South, Delta state.
Preamble:
Niger Delta communities produce 90 percent of Nigerian government revenues, owing to the exploration and exploitation of oil from the region which has led to environmental degradation, pollutions and wastelands they experience. Communities in Isoko Local Government Area of Delta State is one of such communities. This clan here is well known for her farming.
However. before the oil exploitation activities in Isoko land since 1957, the community was fertile for farming. Their Land was a custodian of a rich biodiversity and the benevolence of nature but now, it has been brutally threatened by oil over the past decades.
On the 16th of July 2022, Connected Advocacy organized a one day Niger Delta Oil Impacted Community Dialogue in Olomoro community in Isoko clan of Delta State. Amongst those in attendance are community people, media, and CSOs. During the dialogue, the participants raised some concerns and shared their observations;
They narrated how Oil exploration in Isoko began as far back as 1957 in Uzere and since then there have been series of oil spills without any clean up done to remediate the situation of the people and the most recent one occurred in Enwhe community.
It’s quite unfortunate that even the community members are afraid of talking about it, because of the presence of the Nigeria Army. The people to crying out that before IOCs leave, proper cleanup should be carried out on their land and that soil attenuation (digging holes into the earth to cover oil spills without properly cleaning up the environment) will not be not be accepted.
Also the negative consequences of the exploration of oil from this region has resulted to the pollution of the ground, low agricultural yield due to stunted growth of crops, contaminated water in the community, surface water pollution, health challenges such as cancers, cough, congested nose, chest pain etc.
It was also observed that the community lacks functional healthcare facilities, electricity wires without electricity, the community people also experience the extinction of some livestock, animals and fishes, amongst those mentioned are some economic trees such as Ogbono tree, cocoyam, plantain, amongst other crops are going into extinction.
After the discussions and observation, the participants demanded that;
1. The people of Olomoro community demand that Shell and the government should as a matter of urgency make provision for an immediate health audit, functional Health care Centre and the provision of gas turbine to generate electricity
2. Proper oil spill remediation in affected areas and cleanup should be carried out in Isoko community as well as across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria which have been heavily polluted by hydrocarbons (Fossil fuels).
3. Appropriate Environmental audit, evaluation and assessment should be done in Isoko community before divestment
4. Alternative sources of livelihoods should be provided for farmers and unemployed youths in Isoko community
5. No company or entity in the Niger Delta region should be allowed to divest without first making reparations for their ecological and environmental degradations meted on the Isoko community and its surrounding clans.
The demands were endorsed by:
1. Isoke youth assembly AND Women groups
2. Farmers
3. CSOs
Demands by the people of Isoko community during the Niger Delta Oil Impacted Communities Dialogue, held in Olomoro Isoko South, Delta state.
