Niger Delta stakeholders have urged the International Oil Companies, IOCs, operating in the region selling off their onshore assets and moving offshore to clean up the polluted environment before leaving.
They made the call, weekend, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State at a roundtable organised by a group, Dataphyte.
The meeting was to ascertain the level of damage done to the environment and livelihood of the people as a result of the many years of oil and gas exploration and exploitation by the oil companies, who are now moving away from land to the sea.
Lamenting their woes, a resident of Ikarama community, Warder Benjamin, said: "They are divesting, who is going to take responsibility for the liabilities they are leaving behind?
"All we are saying is that Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, or Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NAOC, who are divesting, should carry out their liabilities of cleaning up the environment and remediation before they divest."
In her contribution, Elizabeth Egbe, an activist, said: "We cannot stop them from divesting, they are already gone so, but we are saying that they should clean up the environment, remediate the environment, pay compensation to those affected as a result of their oil exploration activities in this area.
"We are saying no to Shell's and it's cronies divestment. Let us know whether they are ready for the liability of cleaning up the environment and remediating and paying compensation. If they are ready, they should do it and then divest.
"We also need to know the terms you are operating in our Atlantic Ocean environment, so that you don't force us into extinction."
Also, the youth leader of Elebele community in Ogbia LGA, Okala Precious, said: "Our environment should be saved from further pollution. We have giving so much with nothing to show for our sacrifice. Instead of enjoying the benefit of God given resources, we are dying slowly."
Moris Alagoa, an environmentalist, noted with concern that "the mangrove forests are always laden with crude oil. If this crude continues to remain in the soil, it affects everything including the farm land and aquatic lives. The oil companies should clean up the environment before divesting."
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Others spoke in the same vein and urged the Federal Government to force the oil companies to carry along the host communities in their schedule, so as to enable them know their plans.
Earlier, the business development and research analyst at Dataphyte, Ibilolia Akahome, revealed that the focus group programme was for them to get insight into what the community leaders, the CSOs and the NGOs have been battling with as regards oil exploration and exploitation in Bayelsa.
