CONCERNED about the menace of petroleum pipeline vandals in the
area, the Ogun State Government and the Hydrocarbon Pollution
Restoration Project (HYPREP), has commenced an assessment on the level
of damages caused by oil spillage in Arepo Community, Ogun State.
The Arepo community has been marked a critical point, as the notorious vandals continued to breach the system 2b petroleum pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in that network.
In a move to ensure full protection of the environment for the welfare of the residents, a delegation from the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) and Ogun State government recently visited the area to assess the level of spillage and air pollution to the community.
The Ogun State government’s Commissioner for The Environment, Lanre Tejuosho, confirmed that the state government provided HYPREP with offices for its operations, and granted them full support for a successful assessment.
Tejuosho said that the state government would pursue compensation with the federal government where there had been negative effects of oil spillage in the community. He reassured the community present that all areas that needed compensation would be pursued.
Meanwhile, residents raised concerns about the spate at which vandals had access to oil pipelines and the impact their activities were having in the community.
A resident of Journalist Estate, ’Gbayode Somuyiwa, said: “On the first night I experienced this, it was as if my fuel tank was left open overnight and by the morning the smell was gone... we are just inhaling impure air and it has gone on unabated.”
He expressed his concern about the surrounding villages where as a result of the explosion from pipe vandalism corpses had been left in the water and this combined with oil spillage had created levels of water pollution.
“Some people have diarrhoea and they are not aware of the causes. Those who used to fish can’t fish,” he said.
The HYPREP National Coordinator, Mrs. Joy Nunieh-Okunnu, said that the visit was to carry out an environmental assessment of the oil spillage stating that for the first time in the 50 year history of oil exploration in Nigeria, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke had set up a specialist unit within the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to ensure that section 8 and 9 of the Petroleum Act was implemented.
She stressed that HYPREP would conduct an air analysis and perform tests on the water in collaboration with the state government, as well as initiating a campaign against pipeline vandalisation.
Nunieh-Okunnu expressed concerns about life expectancy in impacted communities such as Arepo, as the foods, water among others, are being contaminated.
Nunieh-Okunnu said that the agency was responsible for addressing issues of environmental restoration and exploring alternative livelihoods through HYPREP’s socio-economic unit programme in impacted communities.
The HYPREP delegation also went on to Diamond Estate in Lagos State, where concerns about oil spillage and pollution had been reported.
The Arepo community has been marked a critical point, as the notorious vandals continued to breach the system 2b petroleum pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in that network.
In a move to ensure full protection of the environment for the welfare of the residents, a delegation from the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) and Ogun State government recently visited the area to assess the level of spillage and air pollution to the community.
The Ogun State government’s Commissioner for The Environment, Lanre Tejuosho, confirmed that the state government provided HYPREP with offices for its operations, and granted them full support for a successful assessment.
Tejuosho said that the state government would pursue compensation with the federal government where there had been negative effects of oil spillage in the community. He reassured the community present that all areas that needed compensation would be pursued.
Meanwhile, residents raised concerns about the spate at which vandals had access to oil pipelines and the impact their activities were having in the community.
A resident of Journalist Estate, ’Gbayode Somuyiwa, said: “On the first night I experienced this, it was as if my fuel tank was left open overnight and by the morning the smell was gone... we are just inhaling impure air and it has gone on unabated.”
He expressed his concern about the surrounding villages where as a result of the explosion from pipe vandalism corpses had been left in the water and this combined with oil spillage had created levels of water pollution.
“Some people have diarrhoea and they are not aware of the causes. Those who used to fish can’t fish,” he said.
The HYPREP National Coordinator, Mrs. Joy Nunieh-Okunnu, said that the visit was to carry out an environmental assessment of the oil spillage stating that for the first time in the 50 year history of oil exploration in Nigeria, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke had set up a specialist unit within the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to ensure that section 8 and 9 of the Petroleum Act was implemented.
She stressed that HYPREP would conduct an air analysis and perform tests on the water in collaboration with the state government, as well as initiating a campaign against pipeline vandalisation.
Nunieh-Okunnu expressed concerns about life expectancy in impacted communities such as Arepo, as the foods, water among others, are being contaminated.
Nunieh-Okunnu said that the agency was responsible for addressing issues of environmental restoration and exploring alternative livelihoods through HYPREP’s socio-economic unit programme in impacted communities.
The HYPREP delegation also went on to Diamond Estate in Lagos State, where concerns about oil spillage and pollution had been reported.
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