Michael Karipko

biography

Mike Karipko is a Lawyer and Programme Manager on Energy and Climate Change in Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta for Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria. He is also the coordinator of the Oilwatch Africa Network. Mr Karikpo has been actively involved in the struggles of communities in the Niger Delta for over 10 years, first as a member of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP).

Among many other things, Mr Karipko is currently working with communities who are affected by the West-African Gas Pipeline, a high profile project that runs from Nigeria through Benin and Togo to Ghana. The project touches on many of the current tragedies of the Niger Delta, including pollution, conflict, violence, impoverishment and inequality. Mr Karikpo has been a key player in bringing the voices of local communities voices to the international policy arena.

West African Gas Pipeline

In November 2004, the World Bank Group approved guarantees for one of Africa’s largest fossil fuel projects, to be carried out by a consortium led by ChevronTexaco and including Royal Dutch Shell. The proposed pipeline, which would run from Nigeria through Benin and Togo to Ghana, is surrounded by controversy. Originally, the project was supposed to reduce harmful gas flaring in the Niger Delta, but to date it is not certain whether this promise will be complied with. Local people fear the project will cause regional conflict and lock the four countries into fossil fuel energy paths for decades to come. In addition, local communities were not adequately consulted and compensated and pipeline construction is already leading to damage to fisheries. In 2006, more than a dozen Nigerian communities filed a formal complaint with the Inspection Panel of the World Bank, which carried out an official inspection visit in July 2007.

Michael will talk about the results of this visit and the view of the communities.