SAN FRANCISCO, August 14, (THEWILL) – Fresh oil spill from the Funiwa Deep IA natural gas well operated by American multi-national oil firm, Chevron Nigeria Limited, is giving the people of Koluama I and II in Bayelsa State a cause to worry, especially as it is coming from the same spot as witnessed last year.
A fisherman in the area, Mr. Larry Gabriel, said Chevron with the help of a jack-up barge had tried unsuccessfully to cement the bubbling spot with over 250 giant bags of cement, adding that chemicals were poured on the spilled crude oil so as to exonerate the company from the spill.
“The jack-up barge has left the spot and presently the flame has been put off. The chemical were settled at sea bed with the crude oil spill and the ocean current taking them to the sea shores and they are visible even now.
The company came to us to put our nets five kilometers away from last year’s gas explosion site.
We asked the company what the problem was and they said it was a maintenance routine that may harm us.
“It was after two days while going out for our fishing activities that we saw unidentified chemicals on the water,” Gabriel said.
The General Secretary of Federated Youth Organisation in Koluama Kingdom, Engr. Ebrasin Leghemo, said the continuous gas and oil spill has brought untold hardship to the people since they could no longer catch fish with the spilled crude.
Leghemo said the present activities of Chevron Nigeria Limited in the area has caused colossal damage to the people and environment, alleging that Chevron pays lip service and lackadaisical attitude towards environmental damages.
According to him, if the trend is not checked by government and relevant agencies, it may lead to another youth restiveness since claims put before Chevron over the last gas explosion and fire incident has not been paid to the claimants.
He said they had called on Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, NOSDRA, NNPC and Federal Ministry of Environment to invite Chevron for a joint investigation to verify the possible cause of the spill and explore measures to avert future occurrence.
All efforts to speak with Mr. Femi Odumabo, Policy Government and Communities Relations Manager, of Chevron, were unsuccessful as calls made to his mobile phone were not picked.
However, another Chevron staff who craved anonymity confirmed the spill, saying a team of engineers were already battling to put off the spill, but to no avail as it has been difficult for the company.
He said the management had informed its corporate headquarters in the United States of America to bring in experts to cement the bubbling spot as to avert more damage to the environment.
By Jones Abiri, Yenagoa
