Pipeline host communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State have threatened a major protest against Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company Limited, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, over its failure to pay compensation for damages caused by an oil spill from the company’s Warri to Escravos pipeline.
The pipeline host communities issued the ultimatum in a letter to the Managing Director of NPSC, through their solicitor, Eric Omare.
The residents, drawn from Oporoza, Okpele-Ama/Tebujor, Ikpokpo, Opuedebubo, Opuede, Atamba, Ogbotu, Okerenkokogbene, Gan-Ama Zion, Kala-Ikpokpo, Meike-Ama, Fia-Fia Zion, and Oturu-ebagbene communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, have perfected plans to occupy the corporate and operational offices of the firm, ths likely disrupting oil workers’ activities in the area if their demands are not met within the stipulated time.
The communities issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management of NPSC to pay compensation for damages caused by an oil spill to their farmlands and other means of livelihood..
Omare had in an earlier letter informed NPSC of the oil spillage on August 10, 2024 at Atamba Community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State from its Warri to Escravos pipeline.
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Recall that after the letter of August 21, 2024, the communities through their solicitor wrote another letter dated October 15, 2024 demanding for a joint investigation visit, payment of compensation and clean-up of polluted environment, but no action was taken by the company.
However, in the latest letter addressed to the Managing Director of NPSC, the people are demanding that the company concludes the Joint Investigation Visit, pay compensation for damages, and clean up the polluted environment within seven days.
The communities threatened to stage protests at the company’s corporate and operational offices if their demands are not met within the stipulated period.
The oil spill, which occurred on August 10, 2024 at Atamba Community, has adversely affected the means of livelihood of the people in the affected communities.
The communities have been engaging with the company and relevant regulatory agencies, including the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, to resolve the issue amicably.
Omare said: “Officials of your company on 2/9/2024 and 18/11/ 2024, together with representatives of NOSDRA visited the site of the spillage. However, a conclusion could not be reached because of the unpreparedness of your company to open up the point of spillage as agreed by all the parties concerned.
“Arising from these visits, an appeal was made to the communities representatives to allow the process of the JIV and the subsequent steps relating to the payment of compensation and clean up to be done within the shortest possible time, not more than seven days.
“However, more than a month after these visits, your company has refused, neglected/failed to follow due process by concluding the JIV, pay compensation for damages and clean up the polluted environment.
“In the light of the foregoing, your company is hereby given seven days ultimatum from Wednesday, 11/12/2024 to conclude the JIV, pay compensation for the damages caused by the August 10, 2024 oil spillage and clean up the damaged environment.
“Take notice that should you fail to yield to this demand within the stipulated period, we shall resort to all available means to ensure that our demands are met including staging protest at your corporate and operational offices.”
The communities expressed frustration with the company’s slow response and failure to take concrete actions to address the issue.
The seven-day ultimatum, according to Omare, is seen as a last resort by the communities to push the company to take responsibility for the damage caused by the oil spill.
The letter was copied to the Commander, Joint Task Force, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Environment; Delta StaTe Commissioner of Oil and Gas; his counterpart in the Environment; Delta State Commissioner of Police; Commanding Officer, Effurun Barracks; Director, Department of State Services, Asaba; and Head, State Security Services, Warri South West LGA.
Also copied were the Area Manager, NPSC, Ekpan-Warri; Zonal Head, NOSDRA, Effurun; Divisional Police Officers of Ekpan, Ogbe-Ijoh; and Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
It was signed on behalf of the Gbaramatu Kingdom pipeline host communities by Godwin Fibade (Oporoza), Lucky Bebenimibo (Okpele-Ama/Tebujor), Elisah Odudu (Ikpokpo), Theophilus Emotimide (Opuedebubo), Mackson Ode (Opuede), Jonathan Micah (Atamba), Oliver Mala (Ogbotu), Shadrach Tangbe (Okerenkokogbene), Sufficient Kpenfe (Gan-Ama Zion), Profit Omula (Kala-Ikpokpo), Precious Racce (Meike-Ama), Shadrach Jemibra (Fia-Fia Zion), and David Saturday (Oturu-Ibagbene).
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