Bayelsa Moves To Sanction Agip

The Bayelsa State Government has threatened to sanction the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) over its handling of the victims of a recent pipeline explosion at its field in Azuzuama.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Iniruo Wills, told newsmen in Yenagoa yesterday that the management of NAOC was withholding autopsy reports and the victims’ death certificates.
Wills expressed the government’s dissatisfaction with the action of the oil firm, which had frustrated burial plans by the families of the deceased.
He said that the state government would apply appropriate sanctions, if the documents were not released immediately to allow the families of the victims to bury them.
“The Managing Director of Agip has refused or has been foot-dragging to release the autopsy report, death certificate and collection card for the remains of our staff member several weeks on.
“We find this to be grossly indecent and an aggravation of the Azuzuama tragedy that we and the families are still grappling with.
“The family continues to be in suspense and had to change the burial plans because of this.
“We will treat it as a provocation and respond with appropriate government sanctions if we don’t receive the papers immediately,” Wills said.
Officials of NAOC, representatives of the host community and officials of the Bayelsa Ministry of Environment were investigating the cause of an oil spill when the explosion occurred.
The Public Affairs Manager of NAOC, Mr. Dan Jumbo declined comments when contacted for his reactions to the development.
It would be recalled that 14 people died in the July 9 explosion at Azuzuama in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Bayelsa  State says it has set up Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps following the recent flood alert in the country.
The agency’s Head of Administration, Mr. Torukuru Adakien told newsmen in Yenagoa yesterday that relief materials worth millions of naira were also being purchased.
Our Correspondent  recalls that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recently alerted flood-prone states, including Bayelsa, of possible flooding between now and November 2015.
The alert was sequel to information received from Cameroonian authorities on their plan to release excess water from Lagdo Dam.
“As part of our preparedness following the recent flooding alert, Bayelsa, being one of the vulnerable states, we have cleared all the IDP camps in all the eight local government areas.
“Relief materials such as clothing, bags of rice, cartons of Indomie Instant noodle, soaps, blankets, seasonings, tomatoes and over 300 pieces of mattress have also been purchased.
“Before now, we had planned to embark on sensitisation of the general public on the needful precautions to avoid and reduce the effects of flooding.
“We have gone for a workshop on disaster risk reduction at the national level, and we are going to host such workshop in the state to ensure that we educate the people.
“I advise all communities in the state not to be nonchalant about the flood alert; we must make sure that the water channels are not blocked.
“Clear the drains as at when due; avoid building houses on canals and dispose your refuse properly,’’ he said.
Adakien urged traditional rulers, chairmen, Community Development Committees (CDC), youth leaders and the general public, to collaborate in their various communities to ensure that information gets to people on time.