Gas Explosion: Senator Tasks Agip On Compensation

The Senator  representing  Rivers East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator George Thompson  Sekibo has assured  the people of Evekwu community in Emohua Local Government Area that he would compel Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to pay adequate compensation to  them over  the gas pipeline  explosion that  killed  some  persons in the community, maimed others and destroyed their crops and farmlands recently.
Sekibo gave the assurance during a visit to the community to console them over  the tragedy as his  constituents from  the community held on Saturday.
According to him,  Evekwu Community that played host to the oil company had  nothing  to show  except  the  pollution occasioned by explosion of Agip  pipelines that  affects their environment, the farmlands, crops, air and even their drinking water, adding that time had come for justice to be done.
The federal lawmaker frowned at  the neglect of host communities by oil companies,  and stressed  that there would be no hiding  place for Agip as damages done to Evekwu community must   be recovered.
He promised to present  the matter before the Senate  during  plenary, so that  Agip and the Community involved would be summoned to  appear  before  the House,   and appealed  to the  company to immediately do the needful and make public their findings on the explosion.
The senator thanked the paramount  ruler and the people of Evekwu Community for not  taking the laws into their hands by  destroying the facilities  belonging to Agip in the area over the neglect, but rather  took  the  process of dialogue, reiterating that he would do everything possible to ensure adequate compensation for the  Evekwu Community.
On other  demands by the community, he promised to channel it to the Governor,  Chief Nyesom Wike,  whom he said was concerned about infrastructural  development  despite  the lean resources, urging them to remain faithful  and supportive to the administration.
Earlier in their  address  read by the chairman,  Gas  Explosion  Management  Committee, Evekwu community, Rev Canon Chris Idika, appealed  to the  senator  to use his good offices to prevail  on NAOC  and the Ministry of Environment to release the report of  the Joint Investigation Report (JIV), embark on proper clean-up of the environment, adequate  relief  materials  for the people, evaluate the damages  done to lives,  properties  and the environment for compensation, construction of road and town hall  as well as call on the  government and others to come to their  aid.
Meanwhile,  a former chairman of Emohua  LGA, Chief Damian  Ejiohuo, further  appealed to Agip to live up to their social  responsibilities  not minding  the peaceful  disposition of the people of  Evekwu community and also thanked  the Senator  for  the visit, which  he said is  historic.
It would be  recalled that on February 22, 2017,the gas pipeline which  passes  through Evekwu community conveying the nation’s liquefied  natural  gas to Bonny exploded leaving five persons dead.

Collins Barasimeye