THE SERIES ON HOW THE SHELL GROUP UNDER- DEVELOP THE NIGER- DELTA.

This series will focus on the Shell’s group Exploration and Production activities in the Niger- Delta Spanning over six decades and its devastating effects on the Environment of their host communities.
The Royal Dutch Shell group was granted Exploration License in 1938 to Prospect for oil throughout Nigeria. In the Shell’s group sustainability report of 2017 they state as follows-:
OUR ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA<
Shell Companies in Nigeria have continued to contribute to the economic development in Nigeria with safety and security as our top priorities.
Shell has interest in Several companies in Nigeria which are major contributors to the Economy.
They produce oil and natural gas, distribute gas to industries in the country, produce Liquified natural gas for export, generate revenues for the government and provide social Investment.
Shell companies in Nigeria are also working with Federal and State government agencies, and non- governmental organizations to try to create a safe operating environment.”
In their 2018 Sustainability report published on the 2nd of April 2019, quoted Mr Ben Van Burden Shell Chief Executive Officer as follows:
”Each year the Company seeks to understand concerns about the business and its impact around the world particularly in relation to the environment and society through formal and informal meetings, workshops and online surveys.
In a time of Constant Change, keeping sustainability as the consistent bedrock of our approach to doing business is not only right for society” said Ben Van Burden
”It will be critically important to Shell’s Success”.
Mr Ben Van Beurden states further in the 2018 Sustainability report.
“We aim to run a safe, responsible and profitable business. That means getting the basics right. One basic is doing no harm for our Industry, that means operating safely without hurting people or the Environment. In Nigeria, for example, a country that presents complex operating challenges, Shell Companies there have sometimes struggled.”
In subsequent editions of this series we shall focus on how the Shell group has fared with particular reference to the Dec 20th 2011 Bonga oil spill.
This series is from the stable of the oil spill victims Vanguard a non- governmental organization (NGO) incorporated with the corporate affairs commission, OSPIVV is an initiative whose main object is dedicated to fight for compensation for victims of oil spill, health hazards of gas flaring, transparency and accountability in the Extractive Industries in Nigeria.
HARRISON JALLA is an Executive Director(OSPIVV).