Report Of House Committee on Public Petitions on the Petition by Chief F.A Eneawuyi (Icherene-Ugane) against Mobil Producing Unlimited (Now Exxon Mobil Corporation) On The Various Incident Of Crude Oil Spills Emanating From Exxon Mobil And The None Payment Of Compensation To The Affected Victims The Urgent Need For Intervention

  1. PREAMBLE

1.1       On the 17th November, 2016, the House of Representatives received a petition from CHIEF F.A ENEAWUYI (ICHERENE-UGANE) against Exxon Mobil. The petition which was presented by Hon. Kingsley Chinda on the various incidence of crude oil spills emanating from the operations of Exxon Mobil and the non payment of compensation to the affected victims.  The petition was referred to the Committee on Public Petitions for investigation.

1.2       In line with the mode of operation of the Committee, Investigation was extended to the parties to appear before the Committee with relevant document and the respondent in attendance.

2.0       SUMMARY OF THE PETITIONER’S CASE

2.1       The petitioner as solicitor to Prince Martins S. Effang the lawful Attorney to various Communities, Fishing group and individual, in Andoni Local Government Areas of Rivers and Akwa-Ibom States.

2.2       The petitioner claimed that sometimes in 2008, 2010 and 2012 there were massive crude oil spill from the offshore production facilities of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, an International Oil Company operating in Nigeria also, and facilities principally located offshore Q.I.T Ibeno in Akwa-Ibom State.

2.3       The said oil spill incidents destroyed fishing equipment outboard engine, various sizes of fishing net and the entire ecosystem. The effect of the Spill rendered not only the Ecosystem useless but also affected the various Communities economically.

2.4       The Petitioner also prayed that Honourable House to intervene and intercede on behalf of the downtrodden Riverine fishermen folk and called Mobil Producing Unlimited and to further direct them to enter into negotiation with the affected fishing Communities in Adoni Local Government Area of River state and Akwa-Ibom States and provide adequate financial compensation to the victims.

3.0     INVESTIGATIVE HEARING

3.1        Investigative hearing was conducted on Tuesday 18th July 2017, with both parties in attendance making both oral and documented presentations.

4.0       SUMMARY OF THE RESPONDENTS BRIEF

4.1       The Respondent submitted their response letter dated 25th July, 2015, drawing the Committee’s attention to the pendency of various lawsuits filed by and on behalf of the individual and groups in Adoni of Rivers State and Akwa-Ibom State on the same subject matter of the petition which is therefore subjudice and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) is admonished to refrain from commenting on it in order not to be contemptuous of the Court’s Authority or prejudice the outcome of the adjudication.

They pleaded with the Committee’s understanding regarding Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) constrain on this matter and trust that the Committee will find it proper to excuse MPN from attendance.

5.0       COMMITTEE FINDINGS/OBSERVATION

5.1       Having carefully gone through the submission of both parties and all the accompanying documents thereto the following observation were noted by the Committee

  1. There was an oil spillage in the petitioner Community from 2008 to 2012 respectively.
  • The grouse of the petitioner is the 2008 to 2012 oil spill in which they alleged the Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) did not put in place machineries to implement its recommendation and compensate the affected people adequately and that Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited with their usual lack of cooperation and insensitivity had ignored to heed excellent advice and recommendation of the said committee of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
  • The Committee notes the provision of the NOSDRA Act as well as the guideline which mandate Joint Inspection of oil spills to ascertain cause of oil spill decide clean up and remedial exercise as well as level of compensation to be paid to the community.
  • Clearly the Respondent has not made any attempt to compensation since they claim the matter is subjudice.
  • NOSDRA has carried out Investigation on the oil spill and reported that a total number of 950 incidents and 7324.50 barrel of oil spillage were recorded at the period of 2006 to 2012 in the region.
  • It is fair that the petitioner’s Community get some compensation for the 2008-2012 spills in the circumstances.

6.0       COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

6.1       It is recommended that the House mandate NOSDRA Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) and the petitioner to meet and agree on the compensation to be paid to the petitioner’s Community and report back to the House within one month.

  Rep. Uzoma Nkem Abonta                                     Pastor.Yilji Yakubu

   Committee Chairman                                             Committee Clerk