The Make Big Polluters Pay, MBPP, Africa coalition, at a session of the Africa Peoples Counter COP, APCC, has exposed the negative impacts of transnational oil companies on communities with focus on Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana and The Gambia.
During the session, held virtually on Wednesday, the coalition said going by the findings obtained from multiple sources, it is not debatable that Transnational Oil Corporations are chiefly responsible for the heavy environmental damages across Africa.
The project, which includes a report, was implemented by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, Nigeria; Vision for Alternative Development, VALD, Ghana; Household Disaster Resilience Project – The Gambia, HELP-Gambia; African Institute for Energy Governance, AFIEGO Uganda, and DWB-Foundation, Kenya.
Making presentations on the impact of the transnational corporations were Ogunlade Olamide and Philip Jakpor, CAPPA; Godfred Tweneboah Kodua, VALD; Dawda Cham, HELP- Gambia; Winnie Ayieko, DWB Foundation, and Hellen Neima, Corporate Accountability.
The Coalition held that “Social and environmental realities have successfully dispelled the claims of Transnational Oil Corporations that they protect human and environmental rights in their spheres of operation.
“What has become normal is the total disregard for the safety and well-being of original landowners and frontline communities and instead, a premium placed on profit over and above the natural environment.”
They said the launch of the report entitled “Exposing the Impacts of Trans National Oil Corporations on Frontline Communities in Africa”, will “spotlight hidden and underreported infractions and buttress the need for the Loss & Damage Fund to deliver justice and commiserate compensation for frontline communities.”
They urged governments to adjust policies and laws to enforce caution and punishment targeting the aftermaths of extractivism; mandate oil corporations to be responsible for their infractions either deliberate or operational; and ensure that corporations adhere to the conduct and public issuance of Environmental Impact Assessment Report, among other recommendations.
The Coalition also recommended that civil society organisations continue to bridge the gap between the people and the government, give honest feedback on government policies and programmes aimed at addressing climate change and harmonise actions.
Also, they tasked the media to deepen the knowledge of the citizens on the realities of climate change and how best to leverage existing measures; demystify the UNFCCC processes, its processes, deliberations, negotiations and supposed benefits to the frontline communities; assist in advancing the Loss and Damage Agenda, especially for frontline communities across the globe, and communicate climate change policies and policy directions of the Government.
The “Make Big Polluters Pay” global campaign was launched in 2019.
The coalition includes other organisations such as HOMEF, Centre for Environmental Justice Togo, Gender CC South Africa – Women for Climate Change.
Others include the Kebetkache Women Development Center in Nithe Nigeria, the Africa Institute for Energy Governance, AFIEGO, and the Africa Centre for Advocacy, ACA, among others.
Source: Vanguard News