Oil spillage: AKHA commitee visits Eastern Obolo, assures on remediation for affected communities
Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Environment has assured equitable remediation as it concluded a tour on some communities in Eastern Obolo local government area of the state, allegedly impacted by oil spillage.
The tour was part of an oversight function of the lawmakers to ascertain the level of damage caused by oil spill in the affected communities.
Bassey Pius Bassey, Chairman of the committee and lawmaker representing Okobo state constituency, disclosed this on Monday during an interview with assembly correspondents.
The lawmaker joined officials from National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), an agency under the Federal Ministry of Environment, representatives of international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the area, and the council Chairman, Abraham Odion, during the visit to the communities affected by oil spill.
“The tour was in response to a motion moved by the member representing Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo state constituency, Mrs. Selinah Ukpatu, which demanded immediate action to address the oil spill in Ikonta, Obianga, Elokpon Lagos, Iwofe, Emeroke, and other coastal communities in Eastern Obolo local government area”, said Bassey who explained that the team diligently traversed the communities via land and water to view the sites of the spill.
“We went on this tour to verify the level of oil spillage in the affected communities, and it was a mind-blowing experience. Samples of the spill were taken for laboratory analysis.
“The good news is that the IOCs have been able to do the analysis of their oil and they have sent the results to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA.
“So, NOSDRA is to do analysis of the spill samples that they picked from spot which they will now match with the samples that was given to them by the IOCs to be able to determine whose oil was spilled”.
Bassey said his commitee has scheduled a fresh meeting with representatives of Amni International Petroleum Company, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies Marketing Plc and Universal Energy Resources Limited, the four IOCs operating in the area, as well as representatives of the council area for further discussion on how the affected communities would be cleaned up.
“The meeting will avail the House of Assembly and the IOCs the opportunity to come to terms on the matter, and on how the environment would be cleaned up, as well as to identify the oil company that is closer to the spill site”, he added.
