The House of Representatives Committee on South-South Development Commission has resumed its investigative hearing into prolonged gas seepage in Bille, Rivers State, and oil spills affecting Odidi, Ogulagha, Odimodi and over 200 coastal communities in Delta State.
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Julius Pondi, said that the Bille gas seepage has persisted for nearly a year, while the Odidi spill linked to Heritage Energy and spills in Odimodi linked to Chevron have polluted waterways, disrupted fishing and threatened livelihoods.
He stressed that the hearing is not to prejudge any party but to establish facts, enforce accountability and ensure restoration of the environment and livelihoods, warning that the economic importance of oil and gas must go hand-in-hand with protection of host communities.
” Our first concern is the prolonged gas seepage in Bille Community, Rivers State, which has persisted for nearly a year. We seek clarification on the findings of investigations conducted to date, the likely source of the seepage, and its potential impact on public health and the environment.
We also wish to know the immediate steps taken and the long-term measures proposed to address the situation. Furthermore, we request updates on collaboration among the relevant agencies, engagement with the responsible operators, and progress in implementing resolutions reached during previous meetings.
We expect the company and relevant regulatory authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify the affected areas, present the findings of environmental assessments, and provide updates on containment, clean-up, remediation and compliance with applicable regulations. They should also clarify any outstanding obligations to the affected communities.
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” The third matter concerns the reported ongoing oil spills in Odimodi, Ogulagha and neighbouring coastal communities in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, involving Chevron Nigeria Limited.
The Committee seeks information on the causes and extent of these incidents, the findings of investigations, the effectiveness of containment measures, and progress towards environmental clean-up and restoration”. Mr. Pondi said.
He noted that the hearing reflects the Committee’s commitment to its oversight responsibilities and to protecting the environment, livelihoods, and welfare of the people of the South-South region.
” Our objective is to establish the facts surrounding these incidents, assess the responses of the relevant authorities and operators, review the implementation of previous resolutions, and determine the actions required to address the concerns of the affected communities”. He added.
Responding at the hearing, the Director of Surface Development at the NUPRC, Joseph Ogunsola, urged the Committee to prevail on the Bille community to embrace peaceful resolution of the gas seepage crisis, cautioning against involving foreign solicitors, which could escalate the situation rather than resolve it.
In his submission, a representative of the Bile Host Communities mentioned that the inhabitants are currently running out of patience due to the untold hardship they have encountered over the years, alongside the nonchalance displayed by the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission NUPRC.
The committee thereby directed the NUPRC to provide its bi-weekly progress reports in the area of addressing the challenges of the Host Community.
