By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A research conducted by a human rights and advocacy organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on the living conditions of the people of Niger Delta Region of Nigeria showed that the inhabitants of the region are absolutely neglected by both the States and Federal governments.
The report of the research by SERAP revealed that “communities in the Niger Delta region have continued to live in depressing and deplorable conditions, despite the fact that the wealth derived from these areas is the main economic mainstay for the country.”
According to the report, “The communities in the Niger Delta remain the poorest in the country despite the 13 percent derivation allotted to the region to remedy the environmental pollution.
The 82 pages report which focused on Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta States was launched on Wednesday September 28 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, was titled: ‘We Are All Vulnerable Here’: How Lack of Transparency and Accountability is Fuelling Human Rights Violations in the Niger Delta.
The report presented to the media by a lecturer in the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Dr Olubunmi Afinowi discloses that “The region remains deeply in the grips of squalor, poverty, and environmental degradation.”
The report revealed that, “Corruption contributes to poverty and consequential suffering of many people in the Niger Delta. The right of the people to a clean, safe and healthy environment is routinely violated and abused by the government and oil companies.”
According to the report, “Extensive social, economic, and environmental degeneration has largely affected the lifestyles and wellbeing of the people of the Niger Delta. Also apparent is the continued disregard and abuse of the human rights of the people of the region.”
” Life expectancy is 45 years in a typical host community. Diseases such as cancer Parkinson disease, increase in infant mortality are prevalent in these host communities’
The research also revealed underdevelopment, underemployment and other social vices in all the communities visited. It was discovered that the host communities are unfriendly and hostile due to their living conditions. Although oil and gas companies embark on projects but the projects are inadequate to address the adversity of the host communities.
Unfortunately, the Federal government have not been faithful in meeting the worrisome conditions of the communities.
Speaking at the report launch a human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, stressed that “The management of the Niger Delta Development Commission by interim administrators is illegal.”
He urged the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) ably represented by Barrister Raji Rasaki to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently reconstitute the NDDC board of directors.
“Since the appointment of interim administrators is unknown to the NDDC Act, all contracts awarded by them are illegal and liable to be set aside.” Falana submitted
Falana also called on the Federal Government to release the report of the Forensic auditing of the NDDC to enable the oil producing communities demand accountability from many contractors who collected huge funds and abandoned development projects in the Niger Delta region.
He tasked the communities in Niger Delta to find out what the Ministry of Niger Delta is doing with the budget provided for the development of the Niger Delta; the 23 percent derivation fund and how the budget is expended.
“The communities should also take up oil companies that operate in the region.”
He lamented that the oil producing communities live in darkness, poverty and squalor, stressing,” we must stop the humiliation of our people. Every community in Niger Delta must have functional electricity and good health care.”
In an interactive session, a High Chief from Bayelsa State, Eric Barisa lamented that the Niger Delta Region which sustains the National economy is neglected by the Federal government. He said that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and laws made for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) were made by oil companies for themselves. He regretted that some traditional rulers, retired high ranking public officers and politicians have compromised their conscience and collaborate with the contractors to short-change the inhabitants of the communities.
Among the people who attended the report launch are: Speaker of Cross Rivers State House of Assembly, Honourable John Etim; the Chairman of the ICPC, represented by Dr Grace Chinda; and the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), represented by Kareem Lamidi, team lead advocacy for NEITI.
The report launch was also attended by Dina Sabi, Second Secretary of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Nigeria; the Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), represented by Mr. Egbe Ekpe; and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, represented by Barrister Raji Rasaki.
Others are: High Chief Eric Barisa; Madam Florence Kayemba, Stakeholder Democracy Network; the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), represented by Mr. Saliu Musa; representatives of communities from the Niger Delta; and the members of the media.
All the participants expressed commitment to ensure the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the report.
The research for the report was conducted under the Niger Delta project supported by the Ford Foundation.
The report, read in part: “While the oil and gas upstream operations span the entire Niger Delta region, the empirical study in this research focuses on the Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers states.”
“The doctrinal study, on the other hand, is more encompassing and examines the challenges and adverse impacts of the oil and gas industries in the host communities and the government’s response mechanisms through the various regulatory and institutional frameworks.”
“The relevant monitoring agencies have not effectively carried out their duties and functions and this has led to a continued disregard for the rights of the people and the need to protect the environment.”
“Corruption is a major factor in the continued degradation in the region. There is a lack of an effective governance and feedback framework to foster interactions between regulators, companies, and communities. This implies a lack of transparency and accountability from the companies and the government to the people.”
“The oil and gas companies receive minimal government monitoring in the conduct of their activities; more troubling is the prevalence of oil theft and illegal mining, and refining of crude oil. Such illegal activities make the region crime prone and increase the vulnerability of the inhabitants of the communities.”
“The communities are continually exposed to food insecurity and health risks. Most of their communal lands, land and water resources have been lost or continually threatened by degradation and pollution.”
“A lot of information about the oil and gas companies, their activities, environmental audits and other relevant information are not available to the public. Such information is often shrouded in secrecy, and where made available, is limited, unclear and provides little or no actual information.”
“Marginalization of women, the aged, the youths and other vulnerable members of the communities, such as persons with disabilities is rife. This marginalization also has far-reaching implications for the protection of the socio-economic rights of the inhabitants of the communities.”
“President Muhammadu Buhari should publicly recognize and re-affirm that every Nigerian citizen, including oil producing communities, is entitled to economic and social rights, and take steps to ensure constitutional recognition of these rights as legally enforceable human rights.”
“President Muhammadu Buhari should immediately instruct the Ministry of Niger Delta Humanitarian Affairs and other government agencies overseeing the NDDC to immediately publish the forensic report on NDDC conducted in 2021.”
“The leadership of the National Assembly should ensure that the relevant committees collaborate to initiate independent public enquiries and fact-finding on how public funds have been spent by MDAs to mitigate the socio-economic impact of environmental pollution in oil producing communities.”
“The leadership of the National Assembly should make public the findings of any such investigations by the relevant parliamentary committees on the use of public funds by MDAs to mitigate the socio-economic impact of environmental pollution in oil producing communities.”
“The leadership of the National Assembly should make public all reports of previous investigations into allegations of corruption in relevant MDAs concerned with the management of issues relating to the impact of environmental pollution in oil producing communities and send such reports to anti-corruption agencies.”
