A seven day ultimatum has been issued to authorities of ExxonMobil by stakeholders in Eket Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, demanding the full payments of N26.5 billion as compensation for oil spillage in four local government areas in the area or risk mass protest and action.
Arising from a meeting in Eket, the communities, under the aegis of Eket Federal Constituency Vanguard (EFCV), said it was absurd that the multinational oil firm could renege on its earlier promise by offering to pay a paltry N2.6 billion as compensation.
A communiqué, dated October 16, 2013, and signed by representatives from the four oil bearing communities namely Isaiah Abia(Esit Eket), William Mkpa(Ibeno), Ime Utin(Onna) and Udo Bassey (Eket) was issued to press home their ultimatum to the oil giants. The group said the amount was grossly inadequate for damages caused by the 400,000 barrels of crude oil spillage of November, 2012 which resulted in mayhem on the economic lives of the coastal communities. The seven-day ultimatum expires on Wednesday, October 23, 2013.
The paramount rulers had on 25th September, 2013, condemned an overture of N2.6 billion offered by the oil giants. The communities was acting based on an earlier communiqué jointly issued by the paramount rulers of the four local government areas said the era of the firm taking them for granted was over.
The communities argued that while the spill lasted for over four months, the firm rather stood by the announcement it had made on the second day of the spill that only 200,000 barrels of crude oil was emitted into the atmosphere, where as more than two million barrels of crude memoil was actually emitted into the environment.
The conmmunique read in parts, "That the Community Vanguard condemns in strong terms several lies, insults, abuses and total disregard by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited of the agreements reached at the intervention meetings held by Governor Godswill Akpabio on November 23, 2012 and July 26, 2013 on the oil spill saga.
"That compensation should be made to reach the communities and individuals to make up for their losses. That Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited should comply with the above demands within seven days and that failure shall result in serious and indefinite protest and actions."
The communities also frowned at the state government's reported plans to use oil spill money in constructing Eket-Ibeno Road, saying they would resist such move. But the Special Assistant to Governor Akpabio on Projects Monitoring, Obongiwaad Emman Mbong debunked such a claim, maintaining that the governor was committed to total development of the state.
Source: Oil spill: A'Ibom communities give Mobil 7-day ultimatum (http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/oil-spill-aibom-communities-give-mobil-7-day-ultimatum/)