Victor EzejaNiger Delta Congress (NDC) has said over two million barrels of crude oil have been deposited in some parts of Nembe community in Bayelsa State as a result of oil spillage that occurred recently in the area.
The group accused the Federal Government and some stakeholders in the region of failing to intervene and address the situation.
In a statement signed by the NDC Spokesperson, Barrister Ovunda Eni, the group lamented that the oil spill has destroyed economic activities in the area and also poses a grave threat to the health of the people.
The oil well currently managed by Aiteo was owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
There has been spillage from an oil well operated by AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production Company in Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area of the State.
The group further stated that the government has failed to call the management of Aiteo Company to order to control the situation in order to prevent further destruction of the environment.
The statement reads in part:
“The Niger Delta Congress has observed with great dissatisfaction the continuous destruction of our environment as evidenced by the interminable spill from a wellhead at Nembe Community in Bayelsa State currently managed by Aiteo and formerly owned by the Shell Petroleum Development Company for almost two months unabated.
“Reports available to the NDC show that over 2 million barrels of crude oil have already been deposited in the immediate environment of Nembe, destroying her economic activities and bringing their lives to a halt.
“It is pertinent to state that based on available research on oil spill and its attendant health implications, it is now expected that majority of the children who will be conceived within a 1km radius of this spill will not live beyond 12 months. This further means that most pregnant women in Nembe and its environs will eventually lose their new born as a result of this ongoing ecocide.
“In spite of the urgency of the situation, the NDC notes that the Nigerian Government has in their usual manner failed to address this grave injustice, by calling the management of Aiteo to order. We also note that the political leadership of the Niger Delta region at all levels has failed to stand for the people of Nembe and many others who continue to suffer and die for nothing.
The NDC said it had foreseen incident like this when it issued a statement in August and kicked against the planned divestment of the business by Shell, saying it suspected that Shell was escaping from taking responsibility for its activities in the region in the past six decades in terms of conducting environmental cleanup before the divestment.
“The NDC had through her lawyers called for Shell to do the proper thing by first auditing all areas it has operated within the region and make plans for a holistic clean-ups before its divestment should be allowed to proceed. Regrettably, we could not pursue the matter due to scarce resources and the unwillingness of stakeholders to join hands with the NDC to ensure justice is done for our people, however, we shall continue to speak out and not relent in the pursuit of justice and a better life for the people of the Niger Delta,” NDC stated.
The group said it remains committed to taking steps in calling for justice in the affected areas in the Niger Delta region, while encouraging the people to continue supporting their activities.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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