Ibeno spill yet to cleaned up by Mobil

Barely three weeks after another oil spill was reported within the Qua Iboe Oil Fields operated by Mobil in the Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, the Clean up of the Environmental Hazard is yet to be successively done.

This is not the first time Mobil has experienced an Oil spill in Ibeno, a prompt response in such an emergency situation has been quite slow. This has affected again the marine and fishing activities of the host community.

Mobil Producing Nigeria had confirmed the report and assured the communities around the Qua Iboe Oil fields, that the spillage will be cleaned up.

Residents along the coastal line are unhappy with the way the Multinational is approaching the issue, ever since it was reported to its officials since the middle of December last year. Mobil oil, is a subsidiary of the US based Exxon Mobil.

Oil spillage in the Niger-Delta has been one of the reasons for the agitation for resource control, because some of the Multinationals operating involved in oil exploration and Joint Venture operation with NNPC in the region are most of the time carelessness with the way they handle environmental pollution and degradation whenever it occurs.

John Etim a resident of the area said “We started seeing fresh oil deposits since December 16, and we reported to Mobil and they came to inspect and collected samples of the oil. “But up till now, they have not responded to clean it up. And the dynamic nature of the tide at this time of the year has not helped matters”.

Another resident of Ikpe, Jonathan who works for an Oil servicing firm said “The source of the oil came from the same pipeline they claimed to have fixed, the pipeline discharged more oil when the divers tried unsuccessfully to repair the leak, the entire pipeline network lacks integrity and needs total replacement and not patchwork that they are currently doing”.

With the Petroleum Industry Bill underway, Multinationals like Shell-Bp and Mobil may have to brace up for stronger regulations from the Government if they treat with levity the issue of oil spillage in the Niger-Delta Communities.