RVHA Goes Tough On Agip…As 15 Die In Oil Pipeline Explosion

President Muhammadu Buhari (right), receiving a document from the Director-General, National Boundary Commission, Dr Mohammed Ahmad, during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.

The Rivers State House of Assembly, has expressed disappointment at the attitude of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) towards the plight of communities negatively impacted by a recent oil spill in Abua/Odual Local Government Area, and warned of dire consequences if proactive measures are not taken to provide relief to the people and clean-up the devastated environment.
The Assembly gave the warning in Port Harcourt, during a meeting with representatives of Emago/Kugbo community and Agip, to resolve lingering disputes arising from the oil spill, which had claimed about 15 lives, degraded the entire community land and polluted their only source of drinking water.
The state House of Assembly, had last week, instituted an investigative panel  of the members of Committee on Environment, to probe the incident following a petition by the member representing Abua/Odual state constituency in the Assembly, Hon Marshall Stanley Uwom.
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Speaker, Marshall Stanley Uwom, lamented that the impact of the oil spill from the Agip pipeline on the community and its precious environment.
Uwom, who represents the area in the state Assembly, expressed concern over the impact of the devastation on the eco-systems, and aquatic lives, saying that farmlands and rivers in the area have been polluted.
The deputy speaker, wondered why Agip should carry out investigation without involving the host community, and accused Agip of making pre-emptive accusations.
He described the attitude of the company as sheer wickedness, and challenged the Italian oil giant to put measures in place to mitigate the negative impact of the oil spill, irrespective of the cause.
Spokesperson for the Emago/Kugbo community, Dr Omini Walson-Asaco, said that about 15 persons died in Emago/Kugbo community following the oil spill at one of the facilities belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).
Walson-Asaco said that the spill was caused by an explosion, pointing out that Agip had not carried out any remediation and clean-up of the area since the incident occurred.
He accused Agip of turning down several moves to resolve the impasse arising from the oil spill, despite the fact that the community’s source of drinking water, health facility, fishing and farming had been despoiled by the spill.
Walson-Asaco appealed to the Assembly to compel Agip to address the problems triggered by the oil spill, by ensuring the clean-up and remediation of the area, and building health and water facilities for the people of the community.
Responding, Government Relations Manager, NAOC, Ijuwa Albert, who confirmed the oil spill, described the incident as an act of sabotage, and said that by law, the company was not expected to pay compensation to anybody as a result of the spill.
“I want to also let you know that building of health centre and pipe-borne water are not part of measures prescribed by law as a response to any oil spill.
“We only provide health centres and water facility in the area we have oil wells. We don’t have any oil well in this area. It is only our pipeline that passes through the area,” the Agip manager said.
He also denied allegations that the company did not clean-up the oil spill after it occurred, saying that Agip, within the period of the spill, embarked on the clean-up of impacted areas.
According to him, the act of “using explosives” on Agip’s facilities had returned in the area, noting that the company had recorded several cases of sabotage with explosives and other destructive devices on it pipelines.
The Chairman of the committee, Hon Israel Ngbuelo, had advised Agip to ensure that its corporate social responsibilities in host communities were implemented.