ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Residents of the oil-bearing communities of Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, have decried the oil spills that occurred in their area over one month ago without clean-up.
It was learnt that the spills came from Oil Well 24, said to be operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
The Head of Family hosting the oil well, Chief Bidei Oyinmo, called on the Federal Government and the relevant regulatory agencies responsible for the protection of the environment and prevention of oil spills to come to their aid.
Oyinmo said on Friday that since the spill occurred, nothing had been done to remediate the environment, stressing that the development had negatively impacted their means of livelihood.
He stated: “The SPDC’s owned oil well No. 24 in its Opukushi oil flowstation has been spilling and spreading crude oil into the swamps, creeks, ponds and the Dodo River.
“The spill has made means of livelihoods difficult for the fishermen and the women both in the neighbouring Koromotoru, Azagbene and Bilabiri communities for over a month now.”
He said the spill had stretched the people of the communities to their elastic limit hence the appeal to the government and relevant authorities to intervene in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.