Agip Spills Pollute Bayelsa Communities

A field report by Envi
ronmental Rights Action, Friends of the Earth Nigeria, said an oil leak from Tebidaba, Ogbonubini crude line operated by Nigeria Agip Oil Company, has discharged massive volumes into the surrounding environment.
It said officials of Agip Oil Companies have commenced the recovery of spilled crude from Ikenebiri community in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State.
The report made available to The Tide and signed by the Head of Field Operations of the group, Allagoa Morris said, more than 30 plastic tanks of 2000 litres of crude have already been recovered by officials of Agip Oil Company.
Friends of the Earth however regretted that a joint investigation visit was yet to be conducted to ascertain the cause of the leak.
Community sources said the development has crippled economic activities of the fishing and farming settlement .
Meanwhile, oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta region have kicked against payment of the 13 per cent derivation fund to the various state governments in the region.
In a statement obtained by The Tide in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday the communities said the money does not belong to state governments, but to the host communities.
In the statement signed by the Chairman of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Nigeria, Mekobi Okareme and secretary, Board of Trustees, 13 per cent Derivation Fund, Henry Opukeme, the communities said that they would no longer accept further payment of the money to their governors.
They said this was due to the fact that it was illegal for the money to be paid into the accounts of the various state governments of the Niger Delta region.