Tribunal seeks urgent action to stop gas pollution in Rivers community

Civil Society Organisations in Rivers State have frowned at the persistent gas leakage in Bille community in Degema Local Government Area and appealed to government and oil companies operating in the community to remedy the situation and save the community from imminent disaster.

The CSOs made the appeal Friday at an Environmental Tribunal, organised by Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre in Port Harcourt.

Emem Okon, executive director, Kebetkache Woman Resources and Development Centre, stated that the purpose of the event was to amplify women voices within the community and the environmental degradation, especially the gas pollution that affected them.

She explained that the Environmental Tribunal was constituted to listen to the testimonies of community members over the incident and to see how the CSOs can advocate to relevant authorities to address the menace.

“Bille Kingdom is on the verge of being taken over by gas pollution and gas bubbling, and the women are traumatised,” she added.

She said that the community needed the gas leakage to be stopped, because people in the community were suffering on daily basis and their livelihood is on extinction.

“We are here to listen to all the implications from health, education, livelihood and the social life of the people” she stated.

In his contribution, Issac Asuoka of Social Action, called on those responsible for the crime to urgently address it without any delay.

“We are the citizens tribunal and we recognise that the citizens have right. The primary responsibility of government is to protect the citizens, as enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.

Explaining further, he stated that the companies operating in Bille should respond adequately during this time of crisis, noting that there will be a robust recommendation for justice to be done.

Fidelis Allen, a professor at the University of Port Harcourt, noted that an environmental crime has been committed against the people and suggested that more investigations should be done.

Precious Ibiada, Bille Woman leader, in her testimony, told the tribunal that a pregnant woman has died as a result of the gas leakage.

She said that Governor Siminalaye Fubara, through the Secretary to the State Government, donated N100 million, as palliative, but lamented that both federal and local governments were yet to identify with the people.

Miriam Dokubo said that some children in the community, including her own are seriously sick with different ailments.

Oju Arimiolu, a school teacher, narrated how she became sick as a result of the gas leakage.

She told the tribunal that the community needed clean drinking water, medical attention, and alternative source of livelihood, while Ebiwari Williams said that she used the polluted water for cooking and suffered excess gas in her stomach affecting her health.

“Some of the school children are fainting, because of the gas bubbling in the community, both in the river and in our well waters,” she explained.

Taminibite Philip, Sotoye Diri and Better Thompson in separate testimonies, lamented the poor air quality they are inhaling in the community.

“One of the boiling points of the gas is close to my house and the fish is no more,” Thompson said.

Sofri Peterside, a professor and renowned Sociologist from the University of Port Harcourt chaired the event.

It could be recalled that Bille community is host to NNPC 18 and OML 24 operated, by former Shell Petroleum Development Company, which they hurriedly handed over to Renaissance without checking its liabilities properly.

The CSOs however, called on government and relevant oil companies to tackle the environmental degradation headlong and provide adequate medical care for the affected communities.