I have been contacted by a constituent over what she refers to as “the long running dispute and neglect regarding oil spillages and destruction of land and waterways over the last ten years between Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the people of Ogbogene North, Nigeria.”
Is the Commission able to confirm if AGIP/NAOC has been neglecting its environment responsibility?
If so, how can the Commission help stop this, and can it help the people of Ogbogene ?
Answer given by Vice-President Mogherinion behalf of the Commission
Local and international oil companies in Nigeria have repeatedly been criticized for neglecting their environmental commitments. Equipment failure and accidents, together with pipeline vandalism and sabotage, have polluted the oil-producing region for decades. Contamination has affected fishing and water sources, as well as forests and cropland, impacting severely on the livelihoods of the local population.
Precise information regarding oil spills varies greatly by company. The Nigerian government’s watchdog (National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency) has recently developed a tool that registers and reports oil spills online. In June 2016, a major clean-up operation has been launched in Ogoniland.
The EU is engaged in cooperation and dialogue in the south of the country. The Niger Delta Support Programme (NDSP) funded by the European Development Fund aims to mitigate the conflict in the Niger Delta by addressing the root causes of violence, amongst others by promoting equitable access to basic infrastructure services and sustainable livelihood development. Support has also been offered to traditional rulers, local leaders and other opinion-makers in order to establish a “Niger Delta contact group” with the aim to facilitate dialogue between the federal administration and local communities.
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