African countries move to end fossil fuel extraction

Disturbed by the damage caused to the environment by fossil fuel extraction, Oil Watch Africa, a network of 15 African countries, has urged continental leaders to end the opening of new reserves for the product.

The network, in a declaration titled ‘stopping the extractivist addiction’, also stressed the need for the immediate commencement of remediation activities.

The declaration made available yesterday to reporters in Abuja after a meeting in Port Harcourt, was signed by the network’s allies and representatives from Cameroun, Chad, Congo DR, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo and Uganda.

They expressed concern over the shocking levels of water pollution/crisis, food shortage, health hazards, land grab, militarisation, growing inequality, poverty and conflict in the Niger Delta communities owing to fossil fuel exploration.