Monarch Expresses Concern as Ogale Grapples with Fresh Oil Spill
By Nwafor
Oji Awala
The
Paramount Ruler of Ogale and Oneh-eh Nchia X of Eleme in Rivers State, His
Royal Highness, Emere Godwin Bebe Okpabi has expressed concern over the oil
spillage that occurred in Ogale last week. The monarch expressed concern that
the pollution from oil spills continued to make life unbearable for the people
of Ogale.
“The Ogale people continue to suffer under perpetual pollution from Shell. A fresh spill occurred a few days ago and spread into our farmland, close to a location where Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, is carrying out remediation works” the monarch said and added that “Shell representatives were here in my palace two days ago, and they accepted responsibility for the oil spill.”
Emere Okpabi
who said this while briefing newsmen at his Obarijima Palace on Friday emphasized
that Shell operations has brought so much misery, anguish and pain to Ogale
over the years, adding that “Our water has been polluted by benzene. When you
fetch it, you will see oil all over the water which makes it unfit for
consumption. We can’t even cook with it.”
Emere Bebe Okpabi regretted that the recent oil spill, like other repeated spills in the past that rendered land and water useless in Ogale, was the reason for the ongoing legal battle between Ogale Community and the Royal Dutch Shell in the United Kingdom.
“The people
of Ogale are in court in the United Kingdom with Royal Dutch Shell. We moved
with Shell through technicalities of the court system in that country to the
supreme court. UK Court of Appeal has given a definite order that the trial
should begin on the 13th of this month. It is to be a four-week trial. Now this
has happened! Shell again” the monarch lamented.
It was confirmed
that a recent crude oil spill happened in Ogale on Monday, February 3, at the
shell manifold. The crude flowed freely from the manifold after it filled the
underground pits, to the pipeline right-of-way that separated Lot-1 of the UNEP-recommended
Cleanup Project of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) of
the Federal Ministry of Environment.
Nwafor
Awala
Comments
Post a Comment