House Directs Environment Ministry, Others To Begin Oil Spillage Cleanup in Rivers State

The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Environment, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and the Nigerian Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA) to as a matter of urgency begin cleanup of the recent Oil Spillage in Rivers State.

The areas in particular are Ogale, Eteo, Aleto, Akpajo, Agbonchia, Okpaku and Alesa Communities in Eleme Local Government area of Rivers State.

This resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Rep. Felix Uche Nwaeke at a plenary on Wednesday.

Nwaeke noted that “in the past three weeks there has been a series of oil spillage in Ogale, Eteo, Aleto, Akpajo, Agbonchia, Okpaku and Alesa Communities in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.”

According to him, “the spill is from several points of a facility operated by the NNPC/SPDC/Total Energies/NAOC Joint Venture in the Eleme- Ogoni axis of Rivers State.”

The lawmaker expressed deep concern over the spillage, which had devastating consequences on residential houses, farmlands, streams, and the surrounding waters in the communities. The incident left the people stranded, their homes and farms covered in crude oil, highlighting the urgent need for effective solutions like Oil water separators to prevent such environmental disasters in the future.

“Worried that if nothing is done to stop these recurring spillages as well as clean up the environment immediately, the people will suffer severe hardship owing to the loss of their farmlands, crops, homes and water sources,” Nwaeke said.

The House adopted the motion and mandated the Committee on Host Communities (when constituted) to investigate the cause of the recurring oil spillage in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State and report back within 4 weeks for further legislative action.

Mercy Chukwudiebere