A coalition of civil society groups, community leaders, and other citizens have called on President Bola Tinubu, to uphold the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) decision and reject the request of Shell to divest its remaining shares in the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to the Renaissance consortium.
The groups who staged a peaceful protest in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, appealed to the president to halt similar sales by other international oil companies including TotalEnergies.
The groups comprising Social Action, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), among others warned that approving such requests would harm the Niger Delta communities, exacerbate unrest, jeopardize the environmental and social well-being of the region and weaken the regulatory independence.
While noting that now is the defining moment in Nigeria, the coalition urged the President to stand with the people of the Niger Delta and uphold the values of justice, fairness, and environmental protection.
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The coalition noted that the region is still battling with the many years of neglect as a result of devastations from oil explorations .
In a statement signed by Dr. Prince Edegbuo; Social Action, Nnimmo Bassey; HOMEF, Dr. Emem Okon of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, among others urged the government to immediately halt all divestment processes until a transparent, comprehensive, and inclusive review is undertaken that addresses Shell’s and TotalEnergies’ historical environmental and social liabilities.
They also requested for inclusivity and transparent consultation with state governments and the people of the sites of oil and gas extraction in the Niger Delta before any further divestment of IOC assets.
They demanded respect to the resolution of the National Assembly, which has called for a halt to all divestments by international oil companies in Nigeria.
The coalition urged the President not to undermine Nigeria’s national interest and the oversight of democratic institutions, urging the president to show leadership to ensure a just, sustainable, and prosperous future for all Nigerians.
