…Faults SPDC over exclusion of Ijaws in onshore assets bidding

By Chancel Bomadi Sunday

The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Worldwide, which is the umbrella body of Ijaw youths, has threatened to shutdown oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities in the Niger Delta over alleged exclusion of interested Ijaws by the Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Ltd, SPDC, in the onshore assets biddings.

In a statement issued by the IYC, Western Zone, over the weekend, signed by the zonal chairman, Comrade Nicholas Igarama, the secretary, Ebi Joshua Olowolayemo Esq and the information Officer, Tare Magbei, the youth body warned against SPDC’s persistent demonstration of hatred to the progress and development of their host Ijaw nation.

The statement reads: “We, the leadership and entire membership  of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Western Zone, have persistently  warned the management of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of dangers ahead if they do not review the controversial bidding processes for Ijaw sons and daughters to fully participate in the onshore assets biddings of the company.

“The disregard for our people who are clearly qualified to partake in the biddings for these onshore assets that have massively contributed to the high-level environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, clearly substantiates the fact that SPDC deliberately spikes the hazards that have engulfed our region.

“As a group, we will not condone SPDC’s pattern of exploitative practices, environmental degradation and neglect of our people. There is no gainsaying the fact that as Ijaw people, we have suffered immensely due to the activities of SPDC in our region. We warn against SPDC’s persistent demonstration of hatred to the progress and development of Ijaw nation, it is unacceptable.

“Our lands, rivers and ecosystems have been polluted, resulting in the loss of livelihood for our people who rely on fishing and farming. The health and well-being of our communities have also been severely affected by the constant flaring of gas and oil spills.

“This non-inclusion of interested Ijaws in the onshore assets biddings is another level of injustice mete out on us by SPDC, particularly with the fact that Ijaw sons and daughters who applied for it were promised to expect response but to no avail.

“We have our facts and evidence against SPDC to reiterate that Ijaws have the manpower and capacity to fully participate in this process. The IYC will not accept the deliberate gimmicks of SPDC to deprive Ijaw sons and daughters in the oil and gas industry their right to partake in the bidding process of these assets. We reject and condemn the gimmicks in the strongest terms and we declared SPDC as an enemy to Ijaw nation.

“In view of the above, as a Council, we have agreed to occupy all SPDC facilities and a subsequent shutdown of oil and gas exploration activities in our region because what is happening here cannot happen anywhere in the world. SPDC cannot reap Peter to pay Paul, and we say enough is enough of this hatred.

“Conclusively, we call on President Bola Armed Tinubu,, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to take appropriate action and call the management of SPDC to order”.