Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Environmental Rights Action, has charged the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency to ensure serious penalty against the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, over incessant cases of oil spills from faulty equipment in Bayelsa State.
Recall that last week oil spills and gas fumes from one of the many wellheads operated by the Agip rocked Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, devastating the environment, causing skin irritation and displacing community members.
Reacting to the development, ERA said NOSDRA must take serious steps to ensure the incessant cases of oil spills in Ogboinbiri community, from Agip facility does not continue.
Project Officer and Head, Niger Delta Resource Centre, ERA, Mr Alagoa Morris, said it was regrettable that ERA/FoEN had reported a similar incident on these same wellheads about a year ago.
“The regulatory agencies, especially NOSDRA should take steps to ensure that these reoccurring equipment failure incidents from Agip facilities within Ogboinbiri community environment does not continue without serious penalties against the company.
“Besides proper investigation and related actions to forestall further occurrence; the incidents should attract compensation, medical attention for victims and Environmental audit.
“This is most needful as the community depends on their natural bodies of water in the environment for their water needs since their is no provision of potable water by government or Agip.”
