By Nkechi Ugwu

African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) held the 2nd People`s AGM in Abuja on May 17, 2023, at Vinci Gate Hotel, Abuja. This is in continuation of the 1st AGM which was convened in May 2022.  The 1st AGM meeting brought together people from the Niger Delta region, and environmental activists from different parts of the country.

ANEEJ Executive Director, Davide Ugolor, in his opening remark, stated that the purpose of the 2nd Peoples AGM was to reaffirm the resolution of the first AGM which aimed at amplifying the negative impact of fossil fuel extraction on the environment and livelihood of the Indigenous communities in the Niger Delta and other parts of Nigeria while advancing the Paris Agreement and Clean Energy Transition towards a sustainable environment in Nigeria.

He said that the resolution, which called on Shell to set climate objectives in line with the Paris Agreement, received 20% support which was an improvement as against the previous efforts. This is because the Church Commissioner that manages the Church of England and is known to be one of Shell`s big investors announced that it will vote against all directors at the upcoming AGMs of EXXON Mobile, Occidental Petroleum, Shell and Total Energy in response to their failure to meet climate change objectives.

Ugolor further stated that the 2nd People’s AGM targets the key investors of Shell, Norwegian Oil Fund, Vanguard, Black Rock Oil and Gas etc., to hold them responsible for non-compliance with the Paris Agreement and also to invite them to the fact-finding exercise of the environmental degradation going on in the Niger Delta.

The representative of the Indigenous People of Niger Delta, Celestine Akpobore, pointed out that the Paris Agreement is a continuous betrayal of the African continent because it still permits the continuous vulnerability of communities and countries in the frontline who are being affected by the activities of oil extraction companies. As a result, he advised that there should be an environmental audit for the whole of the Niger Delta.

Stakeholders Democracy Network Lead, Jude Samuelson, gave an update on the Ogoni Clean-up exercise, saying the Ogoni land water contamination is alarming, and there is no good project to address the livelihood challenges in the communities. He advised that the Ogoni people should be encouraged to speak up against the oil companies’ unfair activities. He added that the oil companies should carry out integrity checks on their assets and data should be made available to the public.

Ugolor emphasized that it is important to note that we are not there yet in advocating for the environmental injustice meted out to the people of the Niger Delta because of the environmental challenges, poverty, loss of livelihood and other problems created and exacerbated by the multinational oil companies are still glaring.

The event ended with a rally to intensify the Peoples AGM efforts in canvasing for the Niger Delta environmental degradation and to seek commitment from the government towards Green Energy Transition to a sustainable ecosystem in Nigeria.

Over 30 civil society organizations, including African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), were represented at the event.