Posted by By Udede Jimi on
By It is true that Nigeria Union of Fishermen are making series of efforts to better the welfare of its members, one of which is its request to discuss with officials of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), but the union's Board of Trustees' chairman,..
By It is true that Nigeria Union of Fishermen are making series of efforts to better the welfare of its members, one of which is its request to discuss with officials of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), but the union's Board of Trustees' chairman, Mr. Opuada Dublin-Green says the body does not desire nor work for the ouster of the multinational oil giant.
Mr. Dublin-Green made these clarifications to The Telegraph while reacting to a publication, by one Clifford Briggs in another Port Harcourt based newspaper that the Nigeria Union of Fisher was mobilizing its members in Rivers and Bayelsa State to force out the company form Nigeria because of the cumulative adverse effects and adamance to their source of livelihood.
In the light of the above and possible misrepresentation that the said article can cause, the chairman of the union's BOT strongly dissociated the organization from any claims advanced by Mr. Briggs who he does not even know as a valid member of NUF.
Dublin-Green restated how the upstream activities of oil companies, particularly Shell, impact negatively on the fishing environment and how the officials of SPDC have severally and jointly disregarded entreaties for discussions with fishermen and the representatives of the union, but quickly added that the body would only exploit the use of appropriate constitutional and spiritual tools to bring them to the table for dialogue.
Using his words, "It is also true that my members, of age 50 years and above, fast and pray once every month, but not for any oil Coy, instead it is a solemn time that we use to request God to fight our battles at sea and on land for us. Remember, even Jesus used fishermen for his ministry and so we think we are special in God's scheme", he concluded.
Furthermore, the agitated leader of fishermen pleaded with SPDC and the Ministry of Environment to give due attention to the seas, creeks and rivers so that the source of livelihood for his members would not be further endangered. "It is already so bad, let it not be worsened", Dublin-Green begged.