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Bonga Oil Spill: Gov’t calls on Shell to accept responsibility, clean up coastal communities

By on January 6, 2012

Reports from Shell that it has largely cleaned up the 40,000 barrels oil spill in the Bonga Oil field has been refuted by senior government officials including the Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Director General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi.

In a statement released to newsmen in Asaba, the governor said, “My position is that this is not the time to avoid responsibility on this issue. Shell should step forward and follow the examples of BP, which had similar experience and acted responsibly. Delta State will follow closely what happens in those communities and demand that necessary action be taken to restore the environment back to the people.”

Uduaghan also called on Shell to clean up coastal communities in Delta state that have been affected by the oil spill, saying “the evidence on ground in Ogulaha, Beniboye and Okuntu in Delta and Orobiri, Odiama and Aggeh communities in Bayelsa, does not support the claim by Shell that the spill was contained before spreading.”

The Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi briefed media personnel in Lagos on the investigation NIMASA conducted into the spill.

“Further to the report of the preliminary investigation conducted by the agency in respect of Bonga Oil field on December 21, 2011, NIMASA representatives were at the leak location assisting in the rescue effort of the victims of the coastal community within Delta and Balyesa states, namely Aage and Orobiri one and two communities. They used boats from Warri to scrutinize these areas.

“As our technical crew approached these communities, the first thing that greeted them was the sight of coastline demarcated by oil leak and petroleum fumes. The community informed us that the spill drifted to this location on December 21, 2011”.

“At Aage community it was the discovered that the oil spill has affected the entire community coastline. At Orobiri one and two the aquatic environment was completely devastated by the spill impact. Water samples were collected from these communities. We were informed by these communities that other government officials and state personnel had earlier visited the area as well.”

The DG, NIMASA stated that efforts are already underway by the community to clean up the oil spill. He also hinted that Shell was being insincere in stating that the spill was caused by a 3rd party as Shell is making frantic efforts to reach the impossibly difficult to access communities.

Akpobolokemi also disclosed that NIMASA has also conducted a fly-over of the area in order to ascertain the extent of environmental damage caused by the leak. He stated that NIMASA was working closely with Shell and Nigerian Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to remedy the present situation.