former Delta
state Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has lauded a Federal High
Court N15.4 billion judgment against Shell Petroleum Development
Company over a 40-year oil spill at the Ejama-Ebubu Community in Tai
Eleme Local Government area of Rivers state, as a vindication of his
position that community action through legal redress can offer
opportunity to remedy the devastation and destruction caused by oil
spill according to a statement released by his Communications Manager,
Paul Odili.
“Governor
Uduaghan wishes to recall his recent call at a book launch: “The Laws
of Oil Pollution and Environmental Restoration” authored by Prof. Lanre
Fagbohun that: “This book I foresee will be useful in so many ways one
of which might well be that where moral persuasion and community
agitation fail to impel positive action from the oil companies, legal
redress becomes the only option. And for legal option to be successful,
it must be drawn from a position of knowledge.”
“Governor
Uduaghan wishes to state further that without knowing such an action
was before the court and that judgment was in hand, feels elated by the
decision of the court which further shows that judicial action rather
than violence can yield positive results. Seeing the report of the
judgment, Governor Uduaghan feels that the learned justices displayed a
keen understanding of the issues concerning oil spill and how it is
devastating the lives of the people of the zone.
“He
also calls on oil companies to take more practical and proactive action
in the management of their operations by renewing their infrastructure
such as aging pipelines, deploying the right technology and proper skill
because oil spill has terrible effect on the environment, and with
awareness by the people, cover ups, distortion of facts and spin can no
longer prevent the people from seeking civil action to protect their
environment and their way of life.
“Governor
Uduaghan reiterated his call on the Federal Government to audit the
spill that has occurred in the zone and to commence without
delay criminal investigation into the activities of oil companies as it
relates to oil spill in the zone.”
