Ogoni chiefs decry exclusion from cleanup

By Davies Iheamnachor

Bodo Council of Traditional Rulers in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State have decried their exclusion from the remediation process in the area. The chiefs expressed sadness that they were not carried along in the on going clean-up  in Bodo, regretting that Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, has remained adamant to the court judgment that mandated them (Shell) to recognise the chiefs in the process.

Speaking in Bodo, Chairman of Bodo Council of Traditional Rulers, Chief Pius Menega, said it was disheartening that the traditional rulers, who are major stakeholders in the community were being left out in the scheme. Menega said: “We complained to the High Court in Bori, Khana, that we were being excluded in the Bodo clean up exercise and the court ruled in our favour that we should be consulted but SPDC has refused.”

He disclosed that there was an order of court restraining Shell and the suspended Paramoun Berebon from signing a fresh Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU, with the oil giant. He called for the arrested of Berebon for continuing to disobey court order, stating that Customary Court sitting in kpor Gokana Local Government Area dissolved the Caretaker Committee of Bodo Council of Chiefs and Elders set up by the embattled Berebon. However, Menega said the court in its ruling acknowledged the Council of Chiefs and Elders led by James Baridoma Ntete. Meanwhile, the embattled paramount ruler Chief John Berebon, maintained that he was still running the affairs of the community, adding that he was never suspended.

(Vanguard)