We’re done with Ogoniland, Shell insists

Oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has reiterated its exit from Ogoni since 1993, stressing that it would not return to the area again either for exploration, or production.

This was disclosed on Saturday by the General Manager, External Relations, SPDC, Igo Weli, at the presentation of the 2019 edition of the ‘Shell Nigeria Briefing Notes’ in Port Harcourt.

Weli disclosed that, since the GMoU concept took off in 2006, the funding has enabled the 19 clusters in the state to embark on projects covering health, education, water and power supply improvement, sanitation and infrastructure development.

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“Shell has no intention to return to Ogoni again for any exploration and production. We are not taking a drop of oil in Ogoniland. If you hear there is a spill in Ogoni, it does not mean that there is any operation in the area. We have not produced oil in Ogoni since 1993.

He stated: “Under the terms of the GMoU, SPDC and its joint venture partners provide five-year funding for communities to implement development projects of their choice, which are managed by Cluster Development Boards under the guidance of mentoring NGOs.

“Currently, there are 39 active GMoU clusters in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Abia states and since inception in 2006 a total of $239 million (N44.36 billion) has been disbursed to these clusters to fund development projects.

“The success of the GMoU initiative has proved what could be achieved when government, international oil companies, communities and NGOs worked together for the common good”, he said.

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