House of Representatives has directed Agip Oil Company to clean up and
contain the oil spill in some communities in Bayelsa state to avoid fire
outbreak.
The House also directed that oil companies should publish monthly updates
of spills in 5 dailies and submit copies of same to the House, as well as
disclose the existence of potentially dangerous equipment and report back
to the House within 6 weeks for further legislative action.
The directive was sequel to a motion under matters of urgent public
importance titled; “Severe Pollution Of The Niger Delta Environment Due To
Alarmingly High Incidences Of Preventable Oil Spills From Rundown
Equipment And Ageing Technology” sponsored by Hon. Douye Diri.
Leading debate on the motion, Hon. Diri noted that oil companies have
continued to treat resolutions passed on the same matter with disdain and
urged the House to ensure that the company complies with the directive.
He expressed worries that the spillages has resulted in the wanton waste
of lives and properties.
“Live and livelihood of the people of the Niger Delta has become too cheap
and dispensable to the oil companies in their unbridled quest for profit,”
he said.” Rather than own up to their culpability and do what is
necessary, the multinational oil operators have made numerous promises to
this Honourable House and impacted communities, but no useful efforts or
progress on tackling oil spills has been made.”
“If decisive action is not taken to combat the reckless and criminal
conduct of the oil industry and firm structures put in place to have the
oil companies comply with international best practices in their
operations, the Niger Delta will suffer irreversible environmental
catastrophe,” he said.
The motion was however adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the
Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yussuff Lasun.