No fewer than 33 persons have been feared killed in 50 communities in Delta state following oil spillage in the areas.
DAILY POST gathered that the devastating oil spillage, apart from the havoc it wreaked on the people’s sources of drinking water, their farmlands, and the killing of their fish(es), worried residents in the affected area have fled their homes for fear of more trouble.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred on the 24 inches Trans Ramos crude oil pipelines,owned by Shell petroleum Development company in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, and destroyed over 25,000 hectares of farmlands including crops.
Worse hit is Odomodi community among others in Burutu Local Government Area, who are now battling devastating erosion menace.
But Mr Julius Pondi, member representing Burutu 1 constituency at the state House of Assembly who spoke to DAILY POST in Asaba said ,” We at the state House of Assembly are very sad. We sympathise with the people, especially the families of those affected, though shell had put measures in place to contain the spread to other part of the state, and also recover crude oil from the damaged pipelines, the spillage has polluted the entire area, destroyed aquatic life which had made fishing the major occupation of the people impossible’.’
He decried the situation that the report of the joint investigative report consisting of shell, Directorate of petroleum Resources (DPR), and the National oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDR) on the spillage was yet to be made public and emphasized the need for the JIV report to be released,
The lawmaker, however, stressed that the spillage was not as a result of Sabotage, but due to equipment failure on the part of shell, hence the company was trying to avoid its responsibility to the community.
While expressing worries that multinational oil companies have always devised means of shortchanging communities whenever a spillage occurs, the lawmaker said Shell was yet to meet with the communities to discuss with them and assuage their plight
“I call on Shell to immediately provide relief materials and medicals to all the affected communities, it is rather unfortunate that there is a problem at present,” the lawmaker added.
Mr Dere Potoki,Youth President of Odimodi community, one of the affected communities, who spoke to DAILY POST said, ” The spillage occurred in four different points on the crude oil pipelines since April 24, 2018. The action of Shell up until now had not been impressive to us. Imagine over 33 persons are presumed dead, they can’t talk, Shell is more concerned about how to recover crude oil from the damaged pipelines without thinking of providing relief materials to the affected others, we will not take this.”
In a swift reaction, some officials of Shell in Warri who spoke to DAILY POST on condition of anonymity said, ” Management is making efforts to assist, and provide materials for the affected communities and relations of the seriously affected people. It’s painful and not true we have neglected them. We are taking our time to assist them.”
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