Shell's host communities in Bayelsa give 21 days ultimatum to shut EA field demand review of devt fund to $10 m

Communities hosting Shell's Estuaries Area (EA) oilfields in Bayelsa on Wednesday urged the oil firm to review its annual development funding from $1 million to $10 million and other social obligations to them.

 

The communities which make of four Cluster Development Boards (CDBs) ,Iduwini, Mein, Kou, and Bassan funded by Shell also demanded the payment of outstanding $14 million for sea anchorage for vessels deployed by Shell. 

 

According to them the amount which accrued from 2006 till date must be offset within the next 21 days or they will be compelled to stage a peaceful protest at Shell's EA oilfield in Bayelsa.

 

They lamented the the plight of some 80 members of the host communities who were engaged by Shell in the ongoing oil drilling campaign to acquire experience but regretted that they have been rendered redundant and paid 'stay at home allowance'for the past one year.

Senate summons Shell, others over dead fishes on N/Delta coastline

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions have intervened in the rift between Shell and communities over the dead fishes that littered the Atlantic coastline since February.

Residents along the Atlantic coastline in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom had reported massive death of croaker fish species since February, raising concerns of increased toxicity of the territorial waters.

Mr Furoebi Akene, spokesman of the affected areas said on Monday in Yenagoa that the Senate’s intervention followed a petition by the communities.