…Call for Transparency in Oil Divestment

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

Stakeholders from oil-producing communities in Bayelsa State have called on International Oil Companies (IOCs) to urgently clean up polluted areas and ensure transparency in oil asset divestment.

The call came in a communique issued after a one-day town hall meeting organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) in Yenagoa. The meeting, titled “Strengthening Transparency, Environmental Responsibility and Community Participation in Oil Asset Divestment,” was supported by Transparency International (Australia) and the Natural Resource Governance Institute.

Participants—including traditional leaders, civil society groups, youth and women’s organizations, researchers, academics, and media officials—demanded accountability in the divestment and transition processes in the Niger Delta. They expressed disappointment that five years after the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was passed, most Bayelsa communities have yet to receive their first Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) allocation.

The communique highlighted environmental concerns, citing the 2011 Bonga Oil Spill in which Shell admitted releasing over 40,000 barrels of crude oil into the Atlantic. The incident has continued to affect fisheries and livelihoods across the Niger Delta, with little remediation. Research by the Kebetkache Women’s Development Initiative revealed hydrocarbon levels in the blood of women in Otabagi far exceeding WHO-recommended limits, while Ikarama experiences up to 10 oil spills per week with no visible cleanup.

Stakeholders called for a comprehensive review of the Bayelsa State Environmental Report, urging collaboration with environmental scientists, toxicologists, and lawyers to assess the damage, identify responsible operators, and pursue accountability. They also recommended an urgent awareness campaign on the 21-day window for challenging Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) as mandated by law.

“The communities must be empowered to hold operators accountable and ensure a healthier environment for all,” the communique concluded.