•Minister clarifies ‘Hiroshima’ statement
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa
A federal government delegation led by the Minister of State for the Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, yesterday fixed the statutory Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the Santa Barbra Well 01 spill site operated by Aiteo Eastern E&P Limited for today.
Speaking when she carried out an inspection of the site, Ikeazor also clarified a statement earlier attributed to her as having compared the spill to the Hiroshima bombing of 1945.
Ikeazor was accompanied by the Director General of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr. Idris Musa and Global Group Aiteo Director/Coordinator, Asset Protection/Security Services and Community Matters, Chief Andrew Oru.
“Someone misquoted me. We were talking about artisanal refining. I remember clearly what I said, that I’ve seen pictures where these artisanal refineries have burnt down areas and that those pictures I saw looked like Hiroshima.
“Someone now likened it and said it was Aiteo. We have the recordings of that media briefing. What I was likening it to were pictures of artisanal refining areas being burned out and that these have to be done in an environmentally friendly manner to decommission them.
“So I have come to see for myself, we’re waiting for the result of the JIV, then we would start clean up and remediation measures,” she stated.
She highlighted efforts by NOSDRA and the operator, Aiteo, to prevent further damage to the environment as well as the company’s initial palliatives to the impacted communities.
On her on-the-spot assessment of ground zero and the magnitude of spill, the minister stated that most of the spill were contained by the booms earlier deployed, stressing that a lot of barrels had been recovered.
’’Any environmental impact is always heart-wrenching. What I saw on the ground wasn’t as much as what was portrayed in the media.
“Luckily, Aiteo and NOSDRA responded quickly, so most of what was spilling from that wellhead was contained with the booms they had in place. We travelled over the water, I didn’t see that much crude floating. It shows that they’ve been able to recover some, I think 16,000 barrels so far,’’ she added.
On what measures could be put in place to avert similar future occurrences, Ikeazor noted that the responsibility lied with both the oil companies and host communities to take care of the environment and oil facilities as well as their equipment.
“Like I said, we will wait for the JIV so we know exactly what the cause of this was. Then we can make a categorical statement that we must all protect the environment. I am happy to see a lot of mangroves that are still thriving in the Niger Delta and we must keep it that way,” she said.
It was learnt that earlier, regulators on ground zero supervising the cleaning of the hydrocarbons from the immediate cordoned off area, ascertained that 16,000 free phase oil mixed with water has so far been recovered from the site.
In addition, NOSDRA in collaboration with Aiteo, have also completed plans to execute the remediation phase which will mop up all the remnant crude which escaped through the booms.
Meanwhile, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has expressed dissatisfaction NOSDRA over comments attributed to the director general of the agency. Diri spoke on Monday during a courtesy visit by Ikeazor to the Government House, Yenagoa.
Governor Diri who described NOSDRA’s action as unacceptable, said his decision to set up the technical committee on the spill was influenced by the country’s Constitution and the laws of Bayelsa State.
He said he owed the people of Nembe the responsibility of protecting every victim affected by the spill and would leave no stone unturned in ensuring justice and full compensation for the people.
While calling on the JIV team set up by NOSDRA to be transparent and free from any form of compromise, Senator Diri, said it was unethical for Aiteo to provide logistics for the JIV.
He said: “Honourable Minister, I was not happy with the report I got from my team, particularly comments allegedly made by the DG of NOSDRA. I’m an elected governor of Bayelsa State and the number one thing about me is the wellbeing of the people, the environment and property of my state.
“I was told that the DG allegedly made comments that the committee I set up and inaugurated was an illegal committee. Also, he reportedly said that the media cannot be part of the JIV.
“Those were the reports I received from my team. I’m happy that you have cleared the issues about the media and they would be part of it.
“Like I said earlier, states and the federal government are supposed to work hand in gloves. I have the powers vested by the Nigerian Constitution and the laws of Bayelsa State to set up the committee within the confines of Bayelsa State and on anything that is injurious to the people of the state.
“With the way it is going, I’m not happy with the report I’m getting from my committee. Aiteo could not have been the one to provide the logistics for the JIV. And the DG of NOSDRA should be the number one person to protect the state, its team and the environment.”
The governor however thanked the minister for coming to have a first hand knowledge of the plight of the Nembe people and Bayelsa State in general.
