Thursday, 5 May 2016

Oil spill: Communities groan, seek FG's intervention in Delta


Residents of Edjophe and neighbouring communities in Okpare-Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta on Wednesday decried the impact of oil spill on their communities.
They consequently appealed to the Federal Government to come to their aid as their means of livelihood were being destroyed by the oil spill.
The chairman of Edjophe community, Mr College Akpoughegbe, who made the call in interview with newsmen in Ughelli, said that the spillage emanated from a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
He said that the incident started on Friday, adding that it had spread to other communities like Iwhrekan and Otor-Edo.
Akpoughegbe said that spillage had affected farming and fishing activities in the affected communities.
Akpoughegbe, who attributed the development to equipment failure, alleged that the NPDC officials in a self defence linked the oil spill to activities of saboteurs.
''The oil spill, which started on Friday, has impacted severely on farming and fishing activities in our communities.
''The spill emanated from a pipeline belonging to the NPDC but they attributed it to activities of saboteurs.
''Officials of NPDC, Department of Petroleum Resource (DPR) and the Delta Government carried out a JIV test on Tuesday to ascertain the cause of the spill but the result is not available yet,'' he said.
One of the residents, Mr Omonigho Edafe, a farmer, corroborated the chairman's view, saying that his farmland was greatly affected by the oil spill.
Effort by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to get response from Mr Ugo Atugboko, External Relations Officer of NPDC was unsuccessful, as he said in a text message that he was out of the country.
''I can't pick your call, kindly send me a text,'' Atugboko’s told NAN in a text message. (NAN)


No comments:

Post a Comment