Reps committee demands bi-weekly reports on oil spill, gas seepage remediation

The House of Representatives Committee on the South South Development Commission (SSDC) has demanded bi-weekly reports from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on remediation efforts following gas seepage in Bille Community, Rivers State, and oil spills in Odidi, Ogulagha, Odimodi and other communities in Delta State.

The Chairman of the House Committee, Hon. Julius Pondi, gave the directive at a resumed investigative hearing on the incidents on Thursday in Abuja.

The committee had requested that the invited agencies provide all relevant documents on their remediation efforts to address the environmental damage caused by the gas seepage and oil spills in the affected communities.

The committee expressed concern that most of the agencies represented at the public hearing did not bring the environmental impact assessments and other relevant documents requested by the panel.

In his opening remarks, Pondi said the investigative hearing demonstrated the committee’s commitment to its oversight responsibilities, particularly the protection of the environment, livelihoods and welfare of people in the South-South region of Nigeria.

According to him, the objective was to establish the facts surrounding the incidents, assess the responses of relevant authorities and review the implementation of resolutions reached at the hearing.

He said the committee expected the company and relevant regulatory authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding the spills, identify the affected areas, present findings of environmental assessments and provide updates on containment, clean-up, remediation and compliance with applicable regulations.

Making a presentation before the panel, a representative of Odidi, one of the communities affected by the oil spills, senior lawyer Mr Odokomaiye, said the spill was still ongoing.

He further stated that all 14 communities in the area had been affected by the spillage.

Among other demands, the community called for the shutdown of Heritage, an oil company operating in the area, alleging that it lacked the technical and managerial capacity to continue its exploration activities.

The community also accused the company of failing to conduct a proper environmental impact assessment of its exploration activities.

The firm was further accused of neglecting its responsibility to provide relief materials to victims of the oil spills across the affected communities.

A member of the panel, Hon. Rodney Ebikake, subsequently moved a motion calling for NOSDRA and NUPRC, as regulators of the oil sector, to be mandated to provide bi-weekly reports on their remediation efforts.

The committee chairman thereafter ruled that the House should demand remediation, containment and environmental impact assessment reports from the agencies every two weeks.