So our recent post on the sad state of life in Nigeria—and the role that American companies has played in the problem—has drawn lots of attention. Here are two interesting viewpoints.
Skip Rope—one of our regular readers for over a year now—wrote:
Interesting topic with a lot at stake.
After watching the link there seems to be a lot of unrest in the Niger Delta. This unrest is making life very uncomfortable for many people. It seems that the profits that the Nigerian government is getting from this oil production is not being distributed to the correct areas.
I’m do not believe that this is an American companies issue.
It seems that the Nigerian government has to address the distribution of oil profits and how they can improve the region of the Niger Delta.
Where could Shell help? I believe they could offer their assistance and expertise on how to prevent the mulitiple oil spills or how to clean up in the event that there is a leak(manmade or mechanical failure) in the lines.
I also don’t believe in the no “take back’s” opinion. If there was proof that an American company was preying on the incompetance of the Nigerian Delta region then the US government should strongly advise the company to re-address compensation. I do not believe that this is the case in this situation and that the economy can be improved in the Delta by their own government.
And Shakespeare—A new reader with GREAT comments—wrote:
Definition of Niger: Niger is a landlocked sub-Saharan country in Western Africa situated north of Nigeria, east of Mali, and south of Algeria and Libya, named after the Niger river. The capital city is Niamey
Definition of oil: A slippery or viscous liquid or liquefiable substance not miscible with water
~unknown authorDefinition of a developing country: Low- and middle-income countries in which most people have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than do most people in high-income countries. There are currently about 125 developing countries with populations over 1 million; in 1998, their total population was more than 5.0 billion.
Definition Theft:
What the US is doing!
Which do you agree with? Leave us a comment to share your thinking and join us again soon on The Blurb!
Signed,
The Blurbers….
Image retrieved from http://www.robbinssports.com/sporting-goods-store/images/everlast-boxing-international-professional-fight-gloves.jpg on September 20, 2007.
The Blurb Nation 
Theft is taking something that doesn’t belong to you without payment. If you are paying for whatever commodity, even in a Socialist land and the seller agrees to your price, it can hardly be construed as theft. Methinks that you are confusing the allegedly corrupt rulers of Nigeria with the foreigners who have developed a resource for the benefit of both parties. If they aren’t getting a fair price, they’re free to charge more.
You said that theft is where you take something without payment. But they aren’t paying, or at least enough.
Niger is a developing country. They need to give people more than a dollar a day. A dollar isn’t going to keep the doctor away.
What I mean with the doctor thing is that in oil, if you breathe in too much of its toxic, it can be unhealthy. Doctors like to be payed for their medication, and a dollar wont suit.
I don’t think that America should be doing that to a developing country.
Someone once told me that if you have a dollar, the longer you hold it the less it is worth. I think that it is true. Gas once cost about 79 cents. Now it is about $2.88 per gallon.
If America isn’t going to stop abusing Niger, I at least think that they should give more money into it.
And what about other countries in South West Asia. They are making a huge prophet off of oil. Why don’t they give some money to places like Niger? I think that they should be helping poor countries. Not only Asian countries but places that are also rich, like America.
Because America is only abusing countries in need.
.