LETTER:Nigerian lessons for Shell and for the world

From Mr Menzies Campbell, MP

Sir: The law is quite clear. The directors of a limited company must manage its affairs in the best interests of its shareholders. They must put ethical considerations aside.

The directors of Shell would do well to keep those principles firmly in mind when they contemplate further investment in Nigeria. How can it possibly be in the interests of their shareholders to invest further in a country where civil war could break out at any time, whose leaders are unamenable to reason, and which could easily become the subject of economic sanctions?

A prudent director of a public company would want to put his shareholders' money where there was much less risk than in Nigeria. The directors of Shell need not wrestle with their consciences. All they need to do is to fulfil their legal duty.

Yours etc,

Menzies Campbell

MP for Fife North East

(Lib Dem)

House of Commons

London, SW1

The writer is the Liberal Democrat spokesman on foreign affairs and defence.