PHOTONEWS: Communities Protest Mobil Oil Spill

PHOTO NEWS: DAY 2 PIB CONFERENCE, PULLING TOGETHER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Community Protests Against Mobil Oil Spill Thickens

A two-day conference, hosted by Spaces for Change in Eket, Akwa Ibom State coincided with widespread community protests against the unpaid N26 Billion Naira compensation for the environmental atrocities committed by Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimited in the state. The aggrieved host communities: Eket, Ibeno, Ona and Esit-Eket are demanding compensation for the numerous oil spills within the state, especially the November 2012 spills which had destructive and deleterious effects on the environment and adversely affected the socio-economic development of the inhabitants of the areas of impact. Among other objectives, the conference, “PIB: Pulling Together for Environmental Justice”  aimed to provide a platform for stakeholders in the oil and gas industry and oil-impacted communities to develop and initiate joint action towards transforming local agitations into opportunities for peaceful change, environmental justice and corporate accountability, within the context of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Executive Director's address at the 2-day Conference, PIB: Pulling Together for Environmental Justice

Text of an address delivered by the executive director of Spaces for Change, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri at the two-day conference, PIB: PULLING TOGETHER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE held in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Oil spills in the oil-rich Niger-Delta have attracted global attention. Because of increased dependence of the Nigerian government on oil revenues and imported petroleum which involves corresponding exploration, transportation and handling of oils, it can be expected that accidental oil spills of considerable magnitude will continue to occur.  The Niger Delta region, being the central point of oil exploration and production in Nigeria is gravely affected by exploration activities in which the traditional means of subsistence, farming and fishing in the creeks, streams and mangroves are adversely affected by constant oil spills, gas flares, blow-outs and leaks, with spiraling effects on public health, soil productivity, aquatic life and the environment. 

PHOTO SPEAK: PULLING TOGETHER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONFERENCE, AKWA-IBOM STATE

“FG-ASUU Face off: The Issues Within” - Report of E-conference Proceedings

On Saturday, October 5, 2013, Spaces for Change (S4C) convened an e-conference, “FG-ASUU Face off: The Issues Within” featuring Dr. James Okpiliya, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Calabar chapter. Over  3500 members of S4C forum, comprising mainly of young Nigerians converged online to engage the ASUU representative, with the objective of understanding the demands of the striking Nigerian university lecturers, ascertain the status of FG-ASUU negotiations and proffer recommendations on the way forward. 

E-Conference: FG-ASUU Faceoff: The Issues Within

E-Conference! E-Conference!! E-Conference!!!

"FG-ASUU Faceoff: The Issues Within"

YOU are cordially invited to Spaces for Change (S4C) e-conference featuring Dr James Okpiliya, ASUU Chairman, University of Calabar, Cross Rivers State.

Date: Saturday, October 5, 2013

Venue: SPACES FOR CHANGE Facebook group

Time: 4-6 p.m.

BACKGROUND

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on indefinite strike for over 90 days and counting, due to some unmet demands and dishonored agreements they reached with the Federal Government in 2009. There seems to be a lot of controversy regarding the real issues and factors fuelling the strike action. Is ASUU hell bent on improving the Nigerian educational sector? Is ASUU strike politically motivated? Is it true that the political opposition is taking advantage of the strike to toy with the future of the youths just because they want to take over power come 2015?

These and many more questions informed the convening of the above e-conference. S4C has collated a wide range of questions in advance, submitted by a broad spectrum of concerned Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.

If you have any device at all (mobile phones, laptops,  iPads, tablets, androids, playbooks et al) connected to the internet, all you have to do is to log on to Facebook social networking site and join the conversation. Recognizing that the youth bear the brunt of recurrent strike actions, the conference will afford over 3500 young Nigerians an opportunity to understand the demands of striking lecturers, ascertain the status of FG-ASUU negotiations and proffer recommendations on the way forward.

You can submit your won questions  or view submitted questions via this link: https://m.facebook.com/groups/106878672727240?view=permalink&id=525241164224320&p=30&refid=18

Excerpts:

PULLING TOGETHER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Between September 26-27, 2013, Spaces for Change -S4C staff visited sites degraded by oil spill and recurrent environmental pollution in Ibeno and eight other local government areas in Akwa Ibom State, looking specifically at the impacts on traditional livelihoods, water, food and environmental quality in general. Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimited and Total Nigeria Plc are the two major oil companies engaged in oil exploration and production in the state. The site visits were followed by series of consultations with clan heads, traditional and youth leaders of the affected communities, representatives of state and federal ministries and regulatory agencies involvedin pollution control and environmental sustainability.