The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to immediately sanction Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria ( SPDC) and Nigeriia Agip Oil Company ( NAOC for gross violation of environmental laws.
This follows the adoption on Tuesday in Abuja of a motion by ,Henry Nwawuba representing Mbaitoli Ikeduru Federal Constituency of Imo state
The lawmaker said that the Federal Government through the Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency ( NOS DRA) should sanction Shell and NAOC for gross violation of environmental laws.
The House also urged the DPR,Shell and Agip Oil to comply with the NOSDRA Act
Nwawuba noted the high level of environmental pollution caused by oil and gas exploration and production activities in the Niger Delta Region as well environmental degradation adding that that was due to poor production practices,and inadequate maintenance of pipelines and oil infrastructure
He recalled the incidence of two separate oil spills in 2020 from Okordia Rumuekpe pipeline and the flow station at John Krana 4 known as Adibawa flow station in Eharama Community of Bayelsa State.
The Rep attributed the cause to long usage of oil pipeline by Shell since 1969 and the Ogada- Brass pipeline operated by Agip.
Nwawuba expressed concern that both Shell and Agip had failed to clean up affected areas and compensate affected families adding that they had equally failed to repair damages caused by fire outbreaks arising from the spills which destroyed other sources of livelihood.
The House however, mandated its commitee on Host Communites to liase with the Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency,DPR,Shell and NAOC to carry out effective inspection and comprehensive assessment to ensure strict compliance with the NOSDRA Act and environmental laws.
