Investigation
By Christian Ogbonna
Yenagoa, July 24, 2018 (NAN) Residents of Amazor and Aghoro communities of Bayelsa have urged Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to speed up its Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to areas affected by a recent oil spillage.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the oil leakage, which occurred on May 17 at an oilfield operated by the SPDC, affected Amazor and Aghoro communities in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
In separate interviews on Tuesday, some of the residents of the two communities told NAN in Yenagoa that the spillage initially affected Aghoro 1 and 2 communities.
They said that the oil leakage later extended to other neighbouring communities such as Amazor, Wisdom City Zion and Donseimor, adding that it also affected fishing settlements like Odonpou Gbene, Motibor Gbene, Iwaye, Tuke, Ayagbazu and Tutu, among others.
Chief Itoko Edwin, the traditional ruler of Amazor, said: “Hastening the JIV processes would go a long way to avert more damage by the spillage in our environment.’’
He said that the on-going SPDC investigation of the incident was rather slow, adding that some of exhumed pipelines had blocked the waterway.
Edwin said that the blockade caused by the Trans-Ramos oil pipelines had made it difficult for the residents to access their farmlands and market.
Similarly, the Oil and Gas Producing Areas Enlightenment and Empowerment Initiative (OGPAEEI), a civil society organisation, called on SPDC to fast-track the JIV processes in order to assuage the plight of the people of the area.
Mr Agbai John, a resident of the area who is a member of the JIV team, told NAN that the preliminary findings indicated that the oil leak could be attributed to corroded pipelines.
Speaking on the issue, Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, the Media Relations Manager of SPDC, said that the company’s spill response operations were being hampered by rains and swampy terrain of the area. (NAN)
OCC/USO/OOK
===========
Edited by Sam Oditah and Dayo Komolafe