Still reeling from its cat-and-dog relationship with its Ogoni host communities, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has another serious headache to contend with at its operational base at the Cawthorne Channel Field, writes John Ogbedu.
If peace and orderliness could be bought with money in the market place, then the multi-billion dollar international oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), would not have had any problem buying peace in Ogoniland for its continuous crude oil exploratory activities.
But, it is often said that money is not everything. SPDC is a company reeling in billions of dollars. Sadly, the billions have not brought the much-desired progress and happiness the company expects from its host communities. At least, within the past eight years or so the company has been at loggerheads with its host community. Due to its altercations with the Ogonis, its flow stations in this volatile part of the Niger Delta region have been shut down for sometime now, thus cutting off its production quota by hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil daily.
Shell, which is at the receiving end of this �family quarrel� with the Ogonis, has cried itself hoarse, all in a bid to make its hitherto friendly host communities, especially in Ogoniland, see reasons with it on why they (Shell-Ogoni people) have to end their prolonged quarrel and seek peace. Not even the government�s peace intervention initiative could sway the Ogonis, who ironically still feel that government is collaborating with the oil companies to short-change the Ogonis.
Just as the SPDC is wracking its brains on how to wriggle out of the Ogoni debacle, its host communities around the Cawthorne Channel Field in Rivers State have decided, in their own wisdom, to go the same way as the Ogonis: preventing Shell from operating in their areas. The story has it that on March 4 this year, a Shell helicopter reportedly spotted an oil spill at its Nembe Creek Trunk Line, one of its major crude evacuation facilities in the region. Having lost over 187,000 barrels of crude oil to this spillage, SPDC management shut down its flow station accessing crude oil from this damaged pipeline at this trunk line.
Although, the cause of the oil spillage, according to SPDC�s External Affairs Director, Mrs. Diezan Alison-Madueke, in a press statement released in Port Harcourt recently, has not been established, the aggrieved oil-spilled communities have prevented Shell from carrying out repair works at the trunk line. According to Mrs. Alison-Madueke, the communities have seized Shell�s piling/crane barge, removed the booms placed to contain the spill and physically blocked its workers from commencing work on the oil spill site.
The press statement, which was silent on the reasons for the action of the communities, appealed to the aggrieved communities to allow Shell workers enter the oil spill site to effect necessary repairs in its damaged facilities.
Nigerian Tribune gathered from sources close to the communities that their demand is for Shell to pay compensation for damages done to their means of livelihood before commencing the repair works while Shell, it was also learnt, is insisting on starting repairs while discussions between both parties are in progress. Herein lies the �comma� in the entire affair: hard posture from both sides.
Definitely, two wrongs cannot make a right. The communities� alleged insistence on compensation from SPDC before the latter begins repairs of its damaged pipelines as well as Shell�s insistence that it will start repairing its facilities before talking of any other thing with the affected communities will not help matters at all. There must be a middle course towards the resolution of this problem.
Both parties should not be tired of dialogue. But, there is need for a ceasefire on trading of blame by both parties. Hard line postures will achieve no agreement in the near future.
In as much as the degradation of an environment, in this case, the oil spillage, often results in the desecration of the marine life in the predominantly fishing communities in the Niger Delta region, it is not enough reason for any oil community, no matter the provocation, to take the laws into its hand. Anarchy should not replace peace and order in oil-producing areas in the country.
Mobilising brute force to quell the seeming intransigence of Shell�s host communities now is not definitely the answer, as it could exacerbate an already bad situation. It could even heighten tension in the area and thus, prolong SPDC�s woes and increase its revenue loss through the inactivity of its shut down flow stations in the areas affected by the Nembe Creek Trunk Line oil spill.
On their part, the communities should not wait for the application of brute force before succumbing to the superior power of law and order. There is nothing wrong with them withdrawing from the oil spill site to allow for unfettered repair works while their grievances are handled simultaneously with the repair works.
To do otherwise is to beg the question and unduly prolong a case that can be handled in a matter of days � all in the overall interest of the nation.