The House of Representatives member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam federal constituency of Akwa Ibom State, Unyime Idem, has expressed concern as the local residents of the oil communities of Ikot Ukpong and Ikot Inyang Abia, in Ukanafun local government area, face life – threatening danger from gas leakages.
The ruptured pipeline, which LEADERSHIP gathered, has forced relocation of residents, belongs to Savanna Energy Limited, an International Oil Company (IOC) operating in the area.
Speaking while inspecting the affected locations at the weekend, the lawmaker stressed the need for urgent remediation by concerned regulatory agencies including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to avoid escalation.
He said: “I visited the scene where a ruptured gas pipeline owned by Savanna Energy Limited, is leaking in between Ikot Ukpong and Ikot Inyang Abia villages in Ukanafun LGA.
I am therefore, calling on NOSDRA and the NMDPRA, to step up oversight responsibilities on oil companies operating in Akwa Ibom state and by extension, the Niger Delta region.
“This will keep the oil companies on their toes to ensure surveillance of their facilities across the region.
“My visit to the scene and interaction with the residents and stakeholders, reveal that there was hitherto no surveillance on the gas facility at all, thus necessitating my call for Savanna Energy to immediately commence surveillance on their infrastructure.
“I also recommended that Savanna Energy should assess the environmental impact on the affected villages and quickly fix the emission.
“There is also need for Savanna Energy to conduct routine checks to forestall any failure of its facility, ensure compliance with environmental safety standards for the protection of the host communities.”
Idem, chairman of the Public Account Committee, who also acknowledged the sociological, agricultural and ecological impacts of the toxic gas fumes on the largely agrarian communities, impressed on the firms to consider compensation for the affected host communities.
“On compensation to the affected communities, the company knows the risk this gas emission poses to residents of the affected villages, and must now make adequate compensation structure, including proper health plan, for those adversely affected. We’re expecting Savanna Energy’s reaction in this regard as soon as possible.
“Let me also extend a call to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to reach out to the affected communities with relief materials to help ameliorate the effect of the gas emissions that my people have suffered for weeks now. The gesture will show the people that government really cares about them.
“Given the health and environmental hazards posed by the gas emission, I’m therefore appealing to residents of the affected villages to stay off the affected area, given the grave dangers associated with the gas emission, while looking forward to giving the situation the legislative push necessary in order to get adequate benefits for the affected communities,” Idem stressed.
Also speaking, the village head of one of the affected communities, Ikot Ukpong, Chief Ndianabasi Monday Offong, thanked the lawmaker “for finding time to visit the scene of the gas emission to see things for yourself,” and expressed hope that succour will come their way soon.
He appealed for the extension of the solar-powered street light project to Ikot Ukpong, as well as include more youths of the village in the empowerment programmes, to which the lawmaker acceded, assuring that his requests will be captured in the next phase of the two programmes.