OIL SPILL: COMMUNITY LEADER APPEALS TO NOSDRA TO CHECK SPILL….Calls for Relief Materials for Victims

Tejiri Ebikeme/Francis Sadhere

Worried by the unabated oil spill in Kantu community, Warri South West, a leader of the community, Chief (Colonel Rtd) Satchie Etoromi, has appealed to the National Oil Spill Detection and Responds Agency (NOSDRA) to come to the aid of the affected communities.

Speaking to news men, yesterday in Warri, Chief Etoromi, said the spill which started over ten days ago, has caused colossal damage to the people of the community as their means of livelihood, which is fishing, has been destroyed.

He also appealed to the Delta State Government and other government agencies to come to the rescue of the people, claiming that there was hunger and sickness in the community as a result of the oil spill which he said has spread across the creeks.

The Community leader said; “So we are appealing to NOSDRA to come and help us salvage the situation. Apart from us, the Kantus, who are the owners of the place, there are other people in Odidi that are also affected by the spill. We are the people of the land and we are more concerned about this spill and that is why we are appealing to NOSDRA to come to our aid.”

“Our people are fishermen and because of the spill, they can no longer go out and fish. All the fishes around that area are dead and if you go there now you will see fishes floating in the river. So you see, our people are suffering because their means of livelihood has been destroyed. We are appealing to various government agencies to come to our plight quickly and help us from this situation,” he appealed.

He said he was worried that none of the oil companies operating in the area has come out to lay claim to the ruptured pipeline, adding that since SPDC left the area, the community has been finding it difficult to hold the present oil companies responsible for any oil spill in the area.

“If it were when Shell was operating in the area and this kind of thing happens we will all go to Shell. But now it is no longer SPDC, it is Seplat and others that are there now and that is why we are finding it very difficult to know whose pipeline has been damaged. We do not know up till now and that is why we are appealing to them to come out and find out whose pipeline has damaged. NOSDRA is the agency in charge of oil spill, so they should come there quickly and get the companies to stop the spill,” he said

He added; “When this spill started in the area we were surprised. Part of that area is now sold to NPDC, and part of it is operated by Seplat and that has made it difficult for us to know whose pipeline it is that got ruptured. We have been expecting that these companies will come and own up but up till this moment nothing has been done.”

According to him also; “All the creeks around that area have been affected by the spill. Nobody can go out to fish now because the river is polluted. We are hungry and we need relief materials and we need medical care too because some people are already falling sick because of the bad water that they are drinking. The appeal that we are making is that government should take prompt action to address the situation.”