Residents of Koluama 1 and 2 communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have continued to lament the failure of the oil company responsible for the spill that is currently ravaging the area to own up to it.
It was learnt an oil spillage had occurred on Friday 15th January 2021 along the creeks and waterways from damaged pipe at the Funiwa Oil Field.
The Special Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Oil and Gas, Hon. Frank Otele, had mobilised his team including officials from DPR, NOSDRA and both State Ministries of Mineral Resources and Environment to the location for an on-the-spot assessment.
A community leader and the Chairman KEFFES RDF, Matthew Sele-epri who had on Sunday 17 January went to the site personally to verify the claim said “all the companies near the spot, Chevron Nigeria Limited and Conoil Producing Limited have denied ownership of the oil facilities.
“We now wonder who has the oil pipeline, we are going to engage the state Ministry of Environment to help us track the source.”
Friday 22nd January 2021, the Government of Bayelsa State sent representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Mineral Resources to the site of the spillage to also verify the claim”, Sele-epri stated.
Hon. Otele, said it was regrettable that Chevron and Conoil were still footdraging as non of them has agreed to ownership of the burst pipeline that is spilling crude into the river.
“Samples have been taken by DPR, NOSDRA and my office for confirmation from a Laboratory test. Communities are crying for help for relief materials such as medical and foodstuffs.
The spill is spreading very fast and has affected more communities like Sangana and Fishtown. The means of livelihood are badly affected”, Otele stated.
