1 month ago
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Some communities in the Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State said they are devastated by two fresh oil spills that have spread into adjoining streams, creeks and farmlands.
The spills, which occurred on Friday, October 4 on the 14-inch Ogboinbiri/Tebidaba pipeline owned by Oando, have affected Ogboinbiri, Keme-ebiama, Kolokologbene, Gbaraun, Apoi, and ,Ukubie communities.
An environmentalist, Alagoa Morris, Deputy Executive Director, Environmental Defenders Network, told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that the twin spill points are close to that of an earlier spill on the pipeline on September 5.
Morris who embarked on a site visit on Monday said the oil spill has spread to Ogiori stream, Apoi Creek and several communities downstream of the spill site.
Community sources at Ogboinbiri, Keme-ebiama, Ukubie and Kolokologbene lamented that the present spill occurred when Oando was yet to address the earlier spill.
Chairman, Keme-ebiama Council of Chiefs, Chief Newstyle Ogiori, said “This spill occurred about a week ago. And it started from the pipeline connecting to one of our streams called Ogiori stream. It flows to the Ogiori stream, then to the Apoi Creek; where it flows from there downstream to our community, being the first community and Kokologbene, Gbaraun, Apoi, Ukubie.
“All these communities are affected by this spill. As Ijaw people, you know we use this water for many purposes; for drinking, bathing, and other things. Because of the spill we cannot use it for anything. We cannot use it to cook. If not for the rain that is falling these days we couldn’t have had water to cook or even to bathe; because the water is completely contaminated.
“Our farmlands are affected too aided by the current flood. So if you go round the bush you will see that all those areas that the water has overflown you see crops affected. These include plantain, cassava, and other crops that we plant. So that is the effect we are facing now.
“We are calling on the oil companies to help us. This is not the first time. It has happened several times and when we complain to the company they always ignore us. No relief materials, nothing. So, we always suffer in silence.
“But with your presence, we are appealing to the government, to the oil companies and other well meaning citizens to please come and help us salvage this situation for us. We need water now that we can use; not this crude oil contaminated river water. They should send us relief materials.”
Presently, the people of Keme-ebiama have devised a means of temporarily halting the flow of the spill downstream by erecting bamboo barriers on the stream.
The Environmental Defenders Network has called on Oando to immediately mobilise to mop up the spilled crude while urging the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency including governments for adequate response.
Efforts to hear from Oando have proved abortive.
