The Rivers State Government has called for the swift and comprehensive resolution of the challenges arising from the gas leak in Bille, Degema Local Government Area of the state.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara made the pledge at Government House, Port Harcourt during an enlarged meeting of key stakeholders, comprising representatives of the Nigerian Government, the state government and leaders of the community.
The meeting was held to review the situation in the community and explore available opportunities to save the people from the adverse impacts of environmental pollution.
Governor Fubara has pledged that the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Bille will be upgraded to enable it address the health challenges confronting the community.
Addressing the journalists at the end of the meeting, Governor Fubara acknowledged the determination of the Nigerian Government and it’s agencies to get to the root cause of the problem in Bille and ensure that it is resolved permanently.
He said; “The meeting is in respect of the situation in Bille. There is a case of gas leakage somewhere in Bille and the people have been making some requests that the government should come to their rescue to resolve the situation.
“As a state, we have gone to see the situation in the community, not alone but in conjunction with the industry operators and officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. What we are doing today is an enlarged meeting where all the parties are sitting together to look at the cause of the issue and the most possible way to get the problem resolved,” he revealed.
Governor Fubara described the outcome of the meeting as successful, stressing that more action would be taken in the next couple of weeks to ensure that the issue is fully resolved.
The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo who led the Nigerian Government’s delegation to the meeting, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for his warm hospitality and efforts he had made to address the challenge in Bille community.
Ekpo said that contrary to the perception in certain quarters, the Nigerian Government has not been silent over the “gas seepage” but had been working tirelessly towards finding a sustainable solution.
He explained that immediately the incident was reported, the Federal Government deployed experts to the area to investigate its cause.
Ekpo noted that determining the source of the leak was initially difficult because there were no oil or gas facilities in the vicinity, necessitating a more detailed investigation.
“The investigation is still ongoing, but we decided to visit the area again to engage with the people of Bille Community and seek their cooperation so that we can arrive at a lasting solution.
“The safety of the people remains our top priority. We understand their anxiety, concerns and the risks posed by the incident. However, the Nigerian Government is committed to finding a lasting solution to the problem.
“The primary responsibility of government is to protect the welfare and security of the people, and that is why we are here to assess the situation firsthand,” he said
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan also explained that as the regulatory agency at the centre of the issue, no effort will be spared in the task of resolving the issue.
Eyesan pledged that the NUPRC and operators in the industry were prepared to address the requests of the impacted people in terms of the provision of potable water and fire trucks to the community.
The Public Relations Officer, Council of Chiefs, Bille Kingdom, Rena Dappa, had during the meeting, presented the challenges facing the community and pleaded for government’s support to save the lives and livelihoods of the people.
