HOMEF Demands Audit of Crude Oil Impacts on N’Delta

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A civil society group, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has demanded  a comprehensive audit of the entire Niger Delta region as it affects health, livelihoods, social and economic impacts of crude oil and gas extraction.

This as the group has urged federal lawmakers to ensure the review of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), eliminate a section which criminalised communities and remove authorities given to oil companies to determine who the host communities are and how to support the community.

Director of HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, made the demands in his remarks at the Niger Delta Alternatives Convergence (NDAC 2023) held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Bassey recalled that during the 2022 NDAC held in Akwa Ibom, the stakeholders at the convergence birthed the Niger Delta Manifesto for Socio-Ecological Justice, which according to him outlined eight key demands that the incoming governments must achieve on the region.

Some of the demands includes the “Immediate review of the NDDC Act and the release of the forensic audit ordered by the outgoing government. The administration of the 13 percent derivation fund should also be designed to be transparent, inclusive, and fair to impacted communities.

“An immediate comprehensive audit of the entire region Niger Delta covering health, livelihoods, social and economic impacts of crude oil and gas extraction.

Remediation and restoration impacted territories and reparations for the damage suffered.

“Legislators to ensure the review of the Petroleum Industry Act, to eliminate the criminalisation of communities and removing vestiges of colonial authorities given to oil companies to determine who the host communities are and to rig the arrangement for developmental supports of the communities.

 nt responses to climate change impacts including by setting up mechanisms for emergency response to floods, shoreline protection, restoration of mangrove forests, halting of deforestation and proper urban and rural planning.

“Adequate protection of our coastal communities and continental shelf for the security of maritime transportation as well as fishing activities by our peoples. A comprehensive energy transition plan that ensures popular ownership and control of such clean energy systems”.

The renowned environmentalist further urged the Nigerian government to take steps to recognize ecocide as a crime and ensure the prosecution of offenders going forward.

He added that “Any person or entity engaged in activities that lead to large scale and long terms or irreversible destruction of our home, the Earth, should be held to account as an incentive for others to be of good environmental behaviour”.

In his keynote speech, Prof Sofiri Joab-Peterside informed that the objective of the convergence, was to provide a credible Pan Niger Delta space where the most critical socio-ecological issues impacting the Region are openly and freely deliberated and decided upon.

Speaking on divestment, Prof Peterside expressed worrisome that the  International Oil Companies (IOCs) are selling onshore assets in the region at an accelerated and leaving without fundamentally addressing the legacies of environmental pollution, violation of fundamental human rights, social strife, and challenges of governmentality created by over six decades.

He regretted that “The implication that flows from this is that the prevailing unacceptable harsh living conditions of indigenes and residents of host communities will continue, if not exacerbate because of fewer options to seek accountability and justice in international courts.”