– Says investigation underway
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, SPDC has confirmed the fresh oil spill from a flowstation operated by the company in Peremabiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
The oil spill which became noticeable on October 3rd, 2023, leaked from the Diebu Creek flowstation operated by SPDC in Peremabiri, discharging a yet to be ascertained, but massive volume of crude oil to adjourning creeks and into the Nun River.
Reacting, SPDC Spokesperson, Mr. Michael Adande, explained that a Joint Investigative Visit, JIV, to the incident site to unravel the cause and volume of oil discharged was underway.
JIV is a statutory probe comprising representatives of the operator, host community and regulatory agencies that generates a report to show the cause, extent of pollution after every spill is reported.
“A government-led Joint Investigation Team, including operator and community representatives, is currently on a Joint Investigation Visit to the site of the incident to determine the cause and the impact of the incident,” SPDC said.
Meanwhile the people of Peremabiri have appealed to the Bayelsa State Government to prevail on SPDC to immediately carryout a cleanup of the oil spills and remediate the environment to how it was before the spills.
Deputy Woman Leader of Peremabiri Community, Mrs. Ebifemere Favour, lamented that the spill has destroyed their fishing nets, traps, crops and polluted the whole aquatic environment, demanding for succour.
“This oil spill has thrown the Peremabiri people into despair, we are into farming and fishing as our means of livelihood and the toxic oil from Shell’s oil field has damaged our livelihood sources.
“We are helpless and in dire need of intervention by way of relief and succour to farmers and fishermen.”
Similarly, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, says the resultant pollution from the oil spill has adversely affected the predominantly farming and fishing settlements along the banks of River Nun.
Programme Manager, ERA/FoEN, Mr. Morris Alagoa, urged the regulatory agencies to ensure that SPDC immediately carries out the required cleanup process to save indigenes of Peremabiri Community from economic and health challenges.
Morris, who is also the Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa Governor on Environment, commended the peaceful disposition of the victims.
This article was originally posted at sweetcrudereports.com
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