RESIDENTS of Oruma community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have cried out over crude oil spill in the area.
The indigenes claimed that since the
spill from the facility operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company
occurred in June, the multinational oil company had yet to commence
clean-up of affected areas.
They said that the crude, spreading
towards Kolo Creek, had affected swamps, ponds, creeks and rivulets,
frustrating fishing and farming activities.
The Chairman of the Community
Development Committee, Mr. Igbogikeme Eliot, decried the incident it was
more pathetic that Shell had yet to clean up the spill.
He said the main economic activities in the area, fishing and farming, had been adversely affected.
He said, “The community has been
expecting Shell to come and clean up the place, but since then till
date, there has been no action from Shell. And right now, the spill is
still spreading towards the Kolo Creek and it has impacted a very large
extent on our swamps and rivulets as it spreads.
“We cannot evaluate the damage this
spill has caused and will further cause as it continues to spread. It
has affected both flora and fauna badly. Many fishes have died,
including snails. We heard the spill actually occurred in our
neighbouring community, Odua, in Rivers State.
“We also heard Shell has visited the
spill point at Odua and even clamped the ruptured spot. But we are still
suffering the impacts, about two kilometres from the spill point.
The CDC chair said even those who
engaged in lumbering were not left out as the trees were also affected,
stressing that raffia palms were also affected.
He added that people had started avoiding the environment due to the negative impacts of crude oil on health.
He flayed Shell’s indifference towards
the spill, saying if the company had acted swiftly, the people would not
have been subjected to the agonising trauma.
Eliot said, “Shell is a difficult
company to understand. When there is a spill of this nature, instead of
Shell to promptly take steps to clean-up, they would be exhibiting delay
tactics. That is why we want Shell to come and clean the impacted
environment. We need immediate clean-up before more harm is done.
Children may be sent to come into the bush and collect firewood and if
any of them fall into this crude oil covered swamp, the result is better
imagined than experienced.”
When contacted, the Shell spokesman, Mr.
Joseph Obari, said he could only comment on the matter after going
through the incident file.
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