The people of Ikpokpo, Tebujor, Okpeleama, Meke-Ama, Opuedebubor, Atanba,
Oporoza federated communities, Oto-Gbene, Okerenkoko-Gbene, Opuede,
Opuede-Zion, Gama-Zion communities of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West
Local Government Area of Delta State have riased the alarm as crude
spillage from NNPC facility pose grave danger to their health.
The affected communities on Saturday said that the spillage from the
PPMC/NNPC Escravos to Warri trunk line which occurred on August 17, 2016
is causing residents respiratory disorder, and other ailments.
The communities on Saturday cried out to the management of NNPC/PPMC and
NOSDRA to save them from the effect of a new spillage from the same trunk
line.
The communities stated in a letter to the Group Managing Director of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) dated Thursday 29th of
September, 2016 that PPMC/NNPC together with NOSDRA and community
representatives went for the jointinvestigation visit on Monday, the 26th
of September, 2016.
They said however that the JIV was inconclusive as the team could not
visit most of the communities affected and could not identify the point of
rupture.
Yabrade Moses and Edward Odudu who spoke on behalf of the communities said
that the spillers, PPMC/NNPC promised to carry out a follow up JIV and
also take steps to ameliorate the suffering of the people, the communities
said.
The communities on that occasion expressed their apprehension that they
may suffer again if crude is pumped through the line and agreed with PPMC
officials that crude oil should not be pumped through the line again until
the ruptured point is identified and repaired.
However, the fears of the community people came to reality again in the
early hours of Friday, the 30th of September, 2016 as crude oil was
discovered to be gushing out from the ruptured trunkline when NNPC pumped
crude oil through the trunk line from the morning of Thursday, the 29th of
September, 2016 to Friday, 30th of September, 2016.
At the time of issuing this press statement, there is massive spillage of
crude oil which is already flowing around all the communities including up
to Oporoza federated communities, Gama-Zion community and into the
Escravos River.
This is the third time this spillage of crude oil into the affected
communities is happening anytime crude oil is pumped through the trunk
line.
We once again call on NNPC/PPMC to take far reaching steps to identify
ruptured point, stop further spillage and damage to the communities and
properties and also provide relief materials to cushion effect of the
spillage on our people.
“Our people are dying of hunger arising from the complete despoliation of
their environment. NNPC/PPMC should stop to pump crude oil through the
line until the ruptured point is repaired.
“The Nigerian government should come to the rescue of the communities and
protect our right to life and clean environment”.