Community Flees From Gas Leak

The people of Sangama Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State have fled their homes to escape possible effects of gas leak from a facility operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) Limited.
The Tide gathered that the facility was formerly operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and was recently divested by SPDC to NPDC Limited.
According to locals, the gas leak was first noticed penultimate Saturday and has been diffusing uncontrollably into the community, adding that there had been no activities by the owners of the facility to stall the leakage.
Youth Leader of Sangama Community, Mr. Iyalla John-Jumbo, stated that the Community has contacted Shell, but no intervention has been seen to be made by the company.
John-Jumbo lamented that the Community had been deserted for fears that a repeat of similar gas leaks which occurred in the Community in 2020, that resulted in loss of taste and smell, property and strange illnesses that led to the hospitalization of several persons would reoccur.
He called on the relevant authorities and the facility owners to come to their aid to save the community and reduce further impact on the environment.
“We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Nyesom Wike, and the Group Managing Director of the NPDC Limited, Mele Kyari and other stakeholders to compel NPDC to quickly shut down the facility in order to mitigate any further impact on the area”, he stated.
Meanwhile, the Management of the NPDC could not be reached as at the time of going to press.

By: Tonye Nria-Dappa