By Obiabin Onukwugha
The people of Kpean, a community with 14 oil wells in Ogoniland, Rivers State, known as Yorla oil fields, and civil society organizations have decried the abandonment of the community by the government and multinational oil companies despite multiple oil spillages in the community.
They spoke during a visit to Kpean community by the Health of Mother Earth (HOMEF), christened: “Evidence Gathering.”
During the visit, the people demanded the immediate and comprehensive cleanup of our environment in accordance with international best practices and Nigerian environmental laws.
They also demanded immediate decommissioning of all oil well-heads in our community to safeguard the health and safety of residents, protect the environment, and secure the future of our children.
Traditional ruler of Kpean community, Chief Lucky Ewoh in an address which was read by the community’s youth leader, Comrade Lemii Petaba, accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Exploration Company Limited, NNPCL and the African Reinnessance Energy Company, former Shell, of being responsible for the incidents.
He said: “This disaster has stripped our people of the very foundation of survival. Our farmlands lie barren, our Rivers onde resources of food, and income are poisoned, and our children suffer from hunger and illness, no health support programme by the asset owner even when the community have written several letters to that effect and this continue to be a concern till date.
“It is true and on records, that Kpean community once lived in dignity in the entire Ogoni nationality, now struggle to find water, safe food and shelter, due to devastation of the natural resources, the government and ally.
“The destruction has had only robbed us of our environment, but also of our peace of mind and future progress.
“We gather before you today, not as statistics, but as human beings whose lives have been shattered. We ask you to see us to see us, to hear our cries our cries and to carry our story beyond these boundaries .
“The responsibility for this spill must be held accountable for the harm inflicted upon our community if you you teams stands with.
“Likewise, we call upon the government institutions to fulfil their duty of protection by enforcing environmental laws, ensuring transparency, and standing with the people rather than standing by powerful companies.
“They must clean our land, restore our waters, provide healthcare for inhaled hydrocarbons and compensate our people for the pain they have inflicted. We expect full remediation of our environment, fair compensation for the losses we have ensured and compensate our people for the pain and inflicted.”
In his remarks, HOMEF executive director, Rev.. Nnimmo Bassey, said the community needs to present a credible evidence about the multiple oil spills in the area.
“Because of the depth of the challenges confronting this community and other communities in Ogoniland, we believe that whatever happens, we need to present credible evidence so that anybody who takes that, the people here are mere statistics, as the welcome address said, will not that you are not statistics, you are real people, having real problems and doing everything you can do to survive the situation despite the heavy pressures from the forces of darkness and destruction.
“So, I want to salute you for your strength, for your resilience, for your unity and standing together and for showing others that things can be emphasised peacefully, strongly and success can come at the end of the day.
“We have taken to heart everything written on this welcome address and we are very impressed. It is very rear to go to a community and the present this kind of well-documented thought-out address,” Bassey said.
He called on community members to take responsibility for monitoring and documenting environmental changes caused by oil spills.
Bassey also called on locals “to build and maintain grassroots alliances by sharing information with groups that can help escalate grievances, including media outlets, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, academic institutions, like-minded communities, and human rights lawyers.”
“Organise and stand together as a unified community, speaking with one voice to advocate for the change we demand and deserve.
“Exercise your fundamental rights to live in a pollution-free environment, access information, assemble peacefully, and protest against injustice,” he said.
The HOMEF executive director highlighted that the federal and state governments must enforce existing legal frameworks that mandate Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes for all oil exploration and production activities. Communities must be centered in decision-making processes and retain the right to withhold consent without fear of reprisal.
“Federal and State governments must hold oil companies accountable for environmental pollution and strengthen the implementation and enforcement of environmental regulations in favor of affected communities.
“Media practitioners should serve as vital allies in raising public awareness about the devastating effects of oil spills on communities. Journalists must ask critical questions about the activities of oil companies and government agencies, and educate the broader public about what is at stake for frontline communities like Kpean,” he stated.
Also speaking, a frontline activist, Celestine Akpobari, thanked the HOMEF executive director fof remembering Kpean Community, pointing out that his presence in the community was an indication that the problems of oil spills will soon be resolved.
Akpobari said: “I want to thank our leader, Rev. Nnimmo Basset fof remembering this community. He is someone who the government and oil companies that are destroying our environment, respect whatever he says. For him to remember Kpean, it means that we are on the way to solving the problem of this community and I pray that God will help us to solve that problem.
“Secondly, I want to thank our traditional ruler, Chief Lucky Ewoh, for trying his best to make this community better. You know, a lot of things have occurred in this community.
“This Kpean Community is small Ogoni; everything that has happened to Ogoni has happened to Kpean Community. As Ogoni sits on oil wealth, so Kpean sits on oil wealth. Oil has become a problem that brings poverty, death and make the people hungry, so it has also brought to this community.
“Look at Kpean market, look at the traditional ruler’s palace. Is it not shameful that Kpean is asking for town-hall? Nobody is Kpean should be talking about town-hall; nobody should be taken for granted. I think the time has come to let them know because if you don’t tell them you are present, nobody will recognise you.
“You see this Ogoni, now we have suffered and people have died. In the next three years, whether HYPREP is working or not working, anything that has entered Ogoni through HYPREP, nobody can remove it again.
“So, if you look well at Ogoni, in the next three years, no community in Niger Delta, whether they had gotten hundred ministers or hundred governors, will see the brakelight of Ogoniland. I know what I am saying.”
