One feared dead as oil spill ravages Delta community
ERA/ FOEN tasks HYPREP on centre for Ogoni cleanup
AN elderly man has been confirmed dead due to inhalation of gas from spillage in the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company ( NPDC) and ELCREST pipeline at Tsekelewu and Polobubo communities in Warri North Council Area of Delta State. Residents of the communities told The Guardian that the spill, which started on Sunday, was still spreading to several adjoining Ija w communities and disrupting livelihoods in the affected areas.
President of Polobubo Community, Paul T oruwei, explained that on Sunday ,
March 14, 2021 the major pipeline conveying crude oil from Opuama flow station in Oil Mining Lease ( OML40) ruptured resulting in the spillage.
He disclosed that the incident, which caused the death of the elderly man, identified as Pa Anthony Ebiogbo from Opuama Community had devastated residents as several persons were hospitalised.
However, a senior official of NPDC said he was not aware of the incident, but that the joint venture ( JV) partners would respond, as soon as they finish investigating the incident.
The communities appealed to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Group Managing Director ( GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) to intervene in the matter. “They should prevail on the management of NPDC/ ELCREST to contain further spread of the spillage and provide medical care, food, water and other necessities to the affected people to save the lives of residents who have been denied their means of livelihood,” they stated.
They also urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency ( NOSDRA), Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR) and Ministry of Environment to investigate the spill to ascertain its cause, send relief materials to the communities and compensate the victims.
MEANWHILE, the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria ( ERA/ FOEN) has appealed to the new Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project ( HYPREP) Governing Council to establish a centre of excellence for the Ogoni cleanup process.
The Federal Government of Nigeria had recently inaugurated a new Governing Council and Board of Trustees for HYPREP.
ANOTHER Nigerian coach, Remmy Amadi, has been handed a two- year ban and his team, Cofine FC of Rivers State, thrown out of the ongoing 2021 National League One ( NLO) in Calabar zone of the competition over alleged match- fixing.
Following allegations of match fixing against Amadi, the NLO Secretariat set up a panel in Calabar zone to ascertain the veracity of the charges.
In a circular dated March 15, and addressed to the concerned parties, and host FA, the NLO Secretariat acknowledged the receipt of the report and decision of the panel.
The NLO stated that the allegations of match fixing against Coach Remmy Amadi of Cofine FC was ‘ very grievous offence,’ which can bring the game to disrepute.
The NLO therefore invoked the relevant rules of the tournament, including a fine of N500, 000 on Cofine FC, Rivers State, all results of their matches in the ongoing 2021 NLO season cancelled ( it is assumed that all previous matches played were through match fixing). Coach Remmy Amadi, who is the mastermind of the act, banned for a period of two years.
The NLO also warned clubs to desist from desperate moves to qualify for promotion, insisting that it would not tolerate any act of misconduct before, during and after every game.
MEANWHILE, the proprietor of AS Racine FC, Emma Ibru has explained his club’s decision to stay away from the ongoing 2021 National League One ( NLO) zonal matches.
Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, Emma Ibru, who is one of the longest club financiers in the country, said the short notice from the NLO secretariat in Abuja for teams to prepare for the zonal qualifiers made it difficult for his club to put all necessary logistics in place.
“We decided not to participate this year because of the logistics involved. We got the information late. We will play next year,” he said.