Shell criticised for avoiding leakage responsibility

Friday 03 August 2012

Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell was criticised on Friday by Amnesty International for ducking its responsibility for leaks in its oil drilling activities in Nigeria.

The human rights organisation said Shell 'continually hides behind the excuse of sabotage', when inadequate maintenance of the infrastructure is causing enormous environmental pollution, reports the NRC.

Nigeria has suffered pollution from oil leaks for decades, many of them caused by oil thieves who blow up pipes.

According to Amnesty International, Shell uses 'sabotage' as an excuse for leaks caused by rusting pipes and other overdue maintenance.

Responsibility

Shell has accepted responsibility in the past. For instance, the company agreed to pay compensation in 2011 for two massive oil spills in the Niger Delta, when local fishermen lost their livelihoods because of the pollution.

However, Amnesty International says the oil giant should be accepting responsibility on a much larger scale, reports the NRC.

A recent report from the United Nations environment protection agency estimated that $1bn is needed to clean up oil pollution in Nigeria.

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