Women from the Niger Delta region have challenged Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and other oil firms planning to divest from their on-shore assets to first address years of pollution.

They noted that the cumulative pollution spanning several decades have devastated their farmlands and swamps, which have dwindled yields from farm and fishing over the years.

The women under the aegis of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre and their allied community-based women organisations, also expressed dismay at the announcement by Shell to sell off their on-shore assets to investors without conducting necessary consultations with communities that have endured decades of environmental destruction from their operations.

Rising from a meeting on Thursday, the women in a communique signed by a Frontline women activist, Mrs Emem Okon, founder of the Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Patience Osaroejiji, leader of Mba Okase Women.

Eleme, Lezina Patrick, leader of Coalition of Ogoni Women Development Initiative, among others, stated that the Niger Delta women bear the brunt of oil exploitation, facing deprivations due to environmental degradation.

According to them, the women play vital roles in securing the family’s subsistence income through farming activities, processing farm produce, and engaging in trading.

“But the ecological degradation caused by oil extraction forces women to navigate polluted swamps for their economic activities, leading to a decline in crop yields and increased poverty.

“We are privy to plans by Shell PLC to sell their shares in Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to a consortium of investors, Renaissance Africa Energy.

“OML 34 had already been divested to ND Western; OML 17 and OML 29 have been divested without proper guidelines.

“Additionally, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), ExxonMobil, and Total Energy Nigeria Limited.

“They are poised to divest all their onshore assets without engaging host communities and rectifying the damages done to the environment and the well-being of peoples. They are attempting to evade responsibility!

“As affected women in the Niger Delta, we are deeply concerned about the swift nature of these divestment plans.

“The government has not provided guidelines to ensure the resolution of pollution issues before SPDC, AGIP, and Total Energies depart. The corporations involved have failed to establish women development funds to support those who have borne the consequences of their oil extraction activities.

“We, the women, are in the dark regarding the reputations of the new companies acquiring the assets of Shell, AGIP, and Exxon Mobil,” they said.

They implore the government not to approve the divestment plans until polluted farmlands are cleaned up and restored by these companies.

“Gas flares persist in Ebocha, Ibeno, Umuechem, and other areas, with communities like Otuabagi still grappling with the impacts of oil extraction. Farming, fishing, and hunting have been severely affected, leading to health problems among women exposed to hydrocarbons.

“This divestment is not in the interest of the community people, and we condemn the attempt by International Oil Corporations to shirk responsibility under the guise of selling assets.

“We call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to ensure no divestment without ecosystem restoration,” the women stated.

They demanded that the government must mandate companies divesting their oil assets to commit to cleaning all polluted sites in the Niger Delta and restoring lost livelihood opportunities.

They vehemently rejected irresponsible divestment without addressing cumulative adverse impact on the environment.

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