By Peter Jonah
The Treasurer of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Iduwini Clan, Central Zone, Bayelsa State, Comr. Timiye-Ebimene Ebiyekon, has called on operators of Tunu Well 4 around the Letugbene axis, Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to take quick actions in curtailing the oil spill from the wellhead.
Ebiyekon, in a statement on Thursday, said the spill which was allegedly caused by equipment failure is already damaging the aquatic bodies and in no time, majority of the people whose occupation is fish farming will be forced to pack their nets because of poor catch. Thereby, wallowing in outright poverty and squalor.
She called on NOSDRA and other regulatory agencies to quickly swing into action and carry out a JIV to ascertain the level of damage on communities around the area. She maintained that the operators of the wellhead must be made to pay adequate compensation if they are found wanting.
Ebiyekon who hails from Letugbene Community also called on SPDC to, in the meantime, send relief materials to the affected communities whose source of livelihood is mainly fish farming, in order to ameliorate their plight.
She also stressed on the need for medical aid to be made available to the affected communities as a result of health implications; especially for those who make daily use of the water from the creek because they have no alternative.
Furthermore, Ebiyekon urges the Bayelsa State Government and the government of Ekeremor Local Council to give special attention to the issue and follow same to the latter in order not to give room for foul play.
She reinterated that, there must be a stop to situations where the host communities get blamed for the errors of operators who fail to replace their waning equipment – only to connive with those at the corridors of power to have their way against the poor, neglected oil producing communities whenever spills occur.
