Fishermen and coastal communities affected by the 2011 Bonga oil spill have renewed calls for the release of a reported $1 billion indemnity fund, saying the prolonged delay in accessing the compensation has deepened poverty and economic hardship across parts of the Niger Delta.
The affected communities said the fund was paid by an insurance company as compensation following the December 20, 2011 spill involving Shell’s Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading facility.
In a statement signed by community representatives Omogbemi Jeremiah and Jeje Olamiyeye, the fishermen said the continued withholding of the funds had worsened unemployment, food insecurity and livelihood challenges among artisanal fishing communities.
They said the spill followed a rupture at the Bonga FPSO facility, releasing about 40,000 barrels of crude oil — estimated at 6.4 million litres — into the Atlantic Ocean.
The incident, according to the representatives, had severe consequences for communities whose economies depended heavily on fishing.
Livelihoods Disrupted
The fishermen said fishing was their main source of income before the spill but that the environmental impact significantly disrupted their activities.
They argued that the effects have persisted long after the initial incident, leaving families and communities struggling to recover economically.
The affected areas include coastal communities in Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo states.
According to the representatives, the continued delay in releasing the compensation has compounded existing challenges facing artisanal fishermen, including declining economic opportunities and increasing food insecurity.
They are therefore calling for greater urgency in resolving the matter and ensuring that the compensation intended for affected communities reaches its beneficiaries.
Communities Seek Relief
The renewed demand comes as fishing communities across the Niger Delta continue to contend with environmental and economic pressures that threaten traditional livelihoods.
For the affected fishermen, the release of the indemnity fund represents more than financial compensation. They say it could provide much-needed relief to families whose livelihoods were severely affected by the spill and support efforts to rebuild their economic base.
The communities are urging the relevant authorities and parties involved in the compensation process to act swiftly, stressing that affected fishermen have waited for years for relief following the environmental disaster.
