N’Delta Stakeholders Oppose Reappointing Shell, Other IOCs Directors at AGM Today

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

Ahead of today’s Annual General Meeting of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Stakeholders and Civil Society Organisations in the Niger Delta, yesterday, urged shareholders in the Oil and Gas sectors to vote against the reappointment of the company’s directors.

They also pleaded with the shareholders to reject the company’s energy transition strategy during today’s Shell 2024 AGM because of its non alignment with Paris climate agreement.

The stakeholders and CSOs, in a resolution at the end of the Third People’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) coordinated by Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) held in Warri, also listed other demands from the shareholders of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) during their AGMs.

Major Oil and Gas Companies such as Eni, Shell and TotalEnergies, had scheduled their AGM for between May 15 and 24 this year but the People’s Annual General Meeting organised annually by ANEEJ was to amplify the voices of the people of Niger Delta regarding the impacts of these companies operations in the region.

But the stakeholders and CSOs at the event that had 45 participants, after reviewing the operations of the IOCs in the Niger Delta region, resolved that their shareholders should vote against the re-appointment of all the directors and reject Shell’s energy transition strategy at the 2024 AGM, because of their non-alignment with Paris Climate Agreement.

They also urged the federal government through the Ministry of Environment to investigate the cleanup process and carry out environmental audit in all polluted sites across the Niger Delta region.

“The government should also assess the performance by contractors handling the remediation sites and the contract of those found to have performed bellow expectation despite collecting 30% mobilisation fee, should be revoked and the monies paid to them should be recovered,” they added.

They further resolved to launch a responsible divestment campaign and undertake a peaceful mass action to demand the proper assessment and clean-up of Ogoni land and the entire Niger Delta, as well as the restoration of the environment and the peoples livelihoods before divestment.