2011 BONGA OIL SPILL: Victims fault Shell’s refusal to pay $3.6bn compensation

WARRI—SHORELINE communities and fisher-persons in Delta and Bayelsa States, affected by the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, SNEPCo, Bonga oil spill of December 20, 2011, have described as bizarre,  an alleged refusal by the company to pay $3.6 billion compensation to the victims of the crude oil spill, as directed by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, on grounds that some persons took the firm to court over the spill.
The communities said: “SNEPCo’s allegation that some persons took them to court as the only reason why they are refusing to settle the said crude oil spill compensation bill is unacceptable because the said shoreline communities and fisher-persons affected by the said crude oil spill are not in court with SNEPCo since they voluntarily agreed not to engage in any litigation with SNEPCo and submitted to Federal Government-led peaceful settlement.”
The communities/fisher-persons in a statement by HRH I.B Ojukonsin and two others, said: “The representatives of the said shoreline communities and fisher-persons are prepared to sign undertaking to indemnify SNEPCo against any loss and/or damages it may incur for any money paid as compensation to affected victims within their respective communities along the shoreline of Delta and Bayelsa States.
“It is on record that SNEPCo accepted spilling 40,000 barrels of crude oil at Bonga field in December 2011 into the sea where fisher-persons carry out their fishing and other means of economic livelihood due to equipment failure.
“As a follow up SNEPCo carried out Environmental Post Impact Assessment, PIA, to determine the effects of the said crude oil spill and chemical dispersant used to disperse the spilled oil within the sea and the outcome of the said PIA revealed among other things that ‘reversible and irreversible damage’ was done to ecological resources within the fishing areas of the sea impacted by the said crude oil spill.
“Consequently, concerned stakeholders met severally with the House of Representatives Committee on Environment during which it was resolved that pursuant to the said PIA Report and other relevant information, NOSDRA should carry out damage assessment of identified communities and fisher-persons affected by the said crude oil spill as well as determine compensation payable to persons that fish at the sea and/or depend on the ecological resources of the sea for a living, and it is on the basis of the foregoing that NOSDRA asked SNEPCo to pay $3.6 billion as compensation to the shoreline communities.”