WARRI – Niger Delta Communities affected by the Shell Bonga oil spill in 2011 have agreed to work together to ensure adequate compensation by the oil giant.
The communities also agreed to drop any pending litigations against Shell and resolve their differences amicably.
The resolution was reached on Saturday in Warri at a gathering tagged, ”Dialogue Conference over the Impact of Shell Bonga Crude Oil Spillage of Dec. 20, 2011.’’
The communities also agreed to support other communities outside the coastline in championing their grievances over the oil spillage if they had substantiated facts.
Mr Monday Francis-Amoma, the Coordinator of the initiative bringing together communities affected by Shell Bonga in Niger Delta, said the forum was aimed at resolving the litigation against the oil company.
Francis-Amoma, who led chiefs and leaders of thought in the communities to the gathering, said that the communities were dialoguing with Shell to workout modalities of settling the dispute.
“ The aim of the dialogue with Shell is to determine the quantum of the amount of compensation each of the affected communities would receive,” he said.
The Shell Bonga Oil Spill occurred 70 kilometres offshore in 2011 in Delta and its impact had since remained a source of concern to the affected communities.
Francis-Amoma said that the spill affected the people, animals and environment.
”After the Shell Bonga spillage, the oil company came with various disinfectants like the Slickgone NS, Corexit 9500, Corexit 9527 and Biosolve to clean up the environment, but these chemicals are harmful to the aquatic life, plants and human beings,” he said.
Francis-Amoma, however, commended the National Emergency Management Agency, National Oil Spill Response and Emergency Agency and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency for assisting to facilitate the payment of compensation. (NAN)