Egi Gas Leakage: RSG Urges Quick Remediation

Moved by the devastation wreaked by a ruptured gas facility owned by Total Fina Elf  in Egi community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, the state government has ordered the company to quickly provide remediation measures.

State Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Emeka Wogu gave the order after he visited the community on Monday.

He assured that government had taken stock of the devastation and would soon respond.

He also assured that the eruption arising from the gas leakage would be arrested as the oil firm was working hard to curtail the environmental effects of the pollution.

‘’ I feel that the company should do something quickly.’’ They need to create a relief well as an escape route for the gas”, he said.

Hon. Wogu submitted that once remediatory measures were taken, it would be easy to address the plight of the people of the  community now living in apprehension and intense heat from the spewing gas rupture.

He expressed fears that if the situation was not quickly tackled, it would spread to affect living things in the area.

While allaying fears of a pending pandemic, the  Special Duties Commissioner disclosed that a stakeholders meeting had been convened to work out measures with the community people.

He remarked,” they have also informed the government of their intention to relocate the community if the need arises. We are also ensuring that there is effective monitoring of the situation, to make sure that the gas emmision is put under control and once that is done, the community would be evacuated immediately’’.

In the interim, he hinted of plans to provide drinking water and other relief materials to reduce the plight of the community.