By Ambrose Ologide
SAPELE/Nigeria: The honorable member representing Sapele/Okpe/Uvwie Federal Constituency at the green chambers of National Assembly, Chief Efe Afe, has called for the cleanup of oil in the federal constituency. He also demanded compensation on behalf of the affected communities.
Afe had alleged the oil spillage occurred from an indigenous oil firm’s well head in some communities under Sapele and Okpe Local Government Areas in the Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta State.
The house had raised concern on the devastating oil spill during its plenary on Wednesday, 6th April, 2022 when a motion on the issue was moved by Afe.
The federal lawmaker alleged that the oil spill started last month February, 2022 and was reported on the 1st of March.
Afe informed the house that the spillage could have been averted if the said company had not breached the environmental compliance guidelines as stipulated by ISO 14001 which mandatef all license holders’ operators, serving company to adopt a systematic and integrated management plan discharge to the environment.
He listed the communities affected by the spill in Okpe and Sapele Local Aovernment Areas to include: Ekokor 1, Ekokor 2, Eriama, Oporaja, Egborode, Mereje, Eroghor, Egikporo and Amuokpokpor.
Others were: Amuogbogbo, Opuraja Eriama, Kpokpogri, Elume, Ologho, Deghele, Okwuvo, Kwele-Bra and Adagarasa Elume.
He lamented that the livelihood of the people had been affected, stressing that the oil spill affected the farms and the river in their communities.
The federal lawmaker alleged further that the said company had refused to carry out a clean-up exercise thereby causing more harm to the people.
Afe then urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and the said oil company to be involved in the cleanup and compensate the affected victims.
The house mandated its committee on Upstream and Environment to visit the areas to assess the environmental impact and report back to the House within four weeks.
The green chambers of the national assembly also urged the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to send relief materials to the affected communities to cushion the effect of the spillage.
