The Brass Community in Bayelsa has demanded the
remediation on the environmental and economic damages to the Brass Canal by the
Brass Crude Export Terminal for the past 48 years.
The demand was contained in a letter to the Managing
Director of Nigeran Agip Oil Company (NAOC) by a law firm Ntephe, Smith and
Wills for the Brass settlement dated May 25, 2020.
NAOC, an affiliate of Italian Energy firm Eni operates
the offshore oil terminal along with some onshore oil block in the swamps of
Bayelsa in addition to Joint Venture stakes in other fields operated by Shell
in Bayelsa.
According to the letter, made available in Yenagoa on
Wednesday, the remediation of the Brass Canal is overdue and being delayed by
the oil firm.
The community recalled that despite a subsisting
regulatory directive to conduct a Comprehensive Impact Assessment (CIA) to
determine the effect of the facility and proffer remedy and compensation, the
oil firm was foot dragging.
According to him, the oil firm has also delayed the
implementation of a joint inter-agency site visit to resolve the issue and
commence remediation of the impacted areas.
"In furtherance of the human security, economic and
environmental interests of your hosts, Brass Kingdom, touching also on
Nigeria's national interests and Bayelsa state's strategic interest, we remind
you to overdue obligation on the Brass Canal viz.
"Proper remediation of ecological damage caused by
continous discharge of toxic wastes at your Brass Terminal everyday for the
past 48 years/
"Adequate compensation based on impartial impact
assesment, a restoration and pollution prevention plan as per best practices.
"We put you on notice to stop desperate attempts by
your officers to compromise or induce key interests, aimed at evading
regulatory compliance, frustrating the Ministerial directive for an independent
Comprehenhive Impact Assesment as a basis for adequate remediation and
compensation," the letter read in art.
The Community also wanted the oil firm to refrain from
efforts to waive NAOC's environmental obligations to the people of Brass
Kingdom by inserting obnoxius clauses into draft Memorandum of Understanding
with the people.
According to the letter, the community ascertained during
a visit to the Brass Canal in 2015 by Environmental and Legal experts that
daily discharge of some 150,000 barrels of toxic waste consisting of untreated
produce water and sludge.
The community said that on a cumulative basis the volume
of toxic discharge to the Brass Canal amounts to 54.8 million barrels annually
and approximately 2.6 billion barrels for the past 48 years.
They said that it was also ascertained that contaminant
rate in the Brass Canal ranged from 200 per cent to 1000 per cent above
regulatory limits as well as soil, ground water and air quality pollution are
also adversely affecting public health.
The community therefore urged Agip to in the interest of
justice and amicable resolution indicate interest to cooperate with the
inter-agency regulatory team in the conduct of a credible assessment with equal
representation by both parties.
However, when contacted for comments Eni, the parent
company of NAOC declined comments.
Cionni Marilia, Media Relations Manager in charge of
Sub-Saharan Africa had pledged to look into the matter and revert but Is yet to do so
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