Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt
The Director-General of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke has blamed the raging fire caused by crude oil in Bukuma community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State on activities of suspected pipeline vandals who attempted to illegally tap into the well-head in the area.
The OML Well 8, where the fire allegedly emanated from is being operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Bukuma.
The NOSDRA D-G, Engr. Woke who spoke when he led a technical team to evaluate the level of damage caused by the fire which has been burning for almost two weeks now, at the weekend, sympathized with the people and lamented the destruction of the community’s farmlands, aquatic life, as well as contamination of their water.
The NOSDRA Boss, called for immediate repair of the leaking well-head, and assured the community that the agency will collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the situation is immediately brought under control.
He said, “I am here to see for myself, the report of the fire outbreak we recieved from our Port Harcourt office about the incident here in Bukuma community which was attributed to excessive gas release.
“From the preliminary investigation of the JIV, it is a case of suspected pipeline vandalism because we have seen evidence from the preliminary reports of two hoses connected to the manifold being used for illegal activities.
“That is enough evidence that some people were doing some illegal business, but we are still on investigation, after which we would issue a final report.
“As the National Incident Commander, my primary concern is to detect where there is a spill and respond accordingly. It is my responsibility to mobilize all the relevant stakeholders as we leave here.
“We are going to have a meeting of all the stakeholders and I can assure you that all hands would be on deck to fasttrack the process of putting off the fire and after that, we begin the process of clean up and remediation of the environment.”
Woke also assured that the agency will work with other stakeholders to provide relief materials to residents of the affected community, and also ensure that their welfare was promoted.
“We have seen the situation and we are in touch with NNPCL, the operators of this facility. We have also seen the level of pollution and devastation here, as you can see, their means of livelihood has been affected. It is for us to arrest the fire and rescue the community from further losses, and we are certain that the situation is under control and also finding a way of compensation for the community effected,” he said.
Explosion: Oil stakeholders task traditional, religious institutions on intensified safety awareness
Some oil and gas stakeholders have tasked the traditional and religious institutions to aid in intensifying safety awareness in view of rising incidents of petrol tanker explosion in the country.
The stakeholders made this known on Sunday when the team of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) visited the site of the petrol tanker explosion in Gurara, Niger state.
Speaking at the scene, Mr Aloga Ogbogo, Executive Secretary, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) emphasised the need for interface to ensure that the reoccurrence was brought to the barest minimum.
Ogbogo said that serious sensitisation and adequate safety measures were needed in any area with high level of trucking activities, while a fire station should be positioned too.
“We are all aware that 100 per cent of petroleum product is being conveyed by truck in this country today.
“So, in an area where there is high petroleum trucking activities, just like this, I will advise that awareness should be intensified through the traditional institutions.
“The village heads and the religious leaders should be involved in the awareness. And beyond that, I also want to advise the government to position a fire station in such area.
“If there was a fire station here, this tragic incident would have been arrested,” he said.
He condoled with the good people and government of Niger State and prayed that the souls of the departed rest in peace.
Ogbogo, while stating that a lot of factors could have been responsible for the accident, added that “accident is a function of three variables, namely- human factor, mechanical, and environmental.
“For this particular point in time is not the time to apportion blame, because we are in a very sorrowful mood.
Also speaking, Mr Malut Abubakar, Deputy National Chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), branch of NUPENG said the sensitisation being embarked by government and media were not taken seriously, hence taking it to their doorsteps was necessary.
“Our main problem is that government should come into this by providing a very good road. If not because of the deplorable situation of the road, this thing would not have happened.
“We want our drivers to have very good access roads to prevent this kind of a situation.
“The people that always rush to siphon the product are also one of the factors that leads to this kind of a situation.
“So, whenever this kind of a thing happens, we want the government to intervene immediately by providing enough security agents to control the scene of the accident and prevent explosion,” he said.