Protesting youths and ExxonMobil have differed over the source of the recent oil spillage in Eket and its environs in Akwa Ibom State which reportedly caused extensive damage to aquatic lives and affected the livelihood of the people
The youths barricaded the company’s housing estate in Eket to protest a fresh oil spillage which allegedly polluted the environment of the affected communities, expressing disappointment over the refusal of the oil company to own up and accept its responsibility.
The spillage, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday last week, was said to have ‘negatively impacted many coastal communities, cutting across Ibeno, Eket, Esit Eket and Onna local government areas of the State.”
Godwin Nduese, the Joint Labour Chairman, Eket LGA, lamented the incessant spills in the area, adding that each time there was a spillage, the oil company would come out to say it was not their crude.
According to him, there is no other major oil company in the area as other operators are marginal fields that operate onshore.
He said the spillage had polluted the water making it difficult for the people to go to the sea for their fishing, adding that it had also destroyed aquatic plants and other natural resources around the area.
“We want ExxonMobil to negotiate with us on how and when to clean the spill and pay adequate compensation because our waters with aquatic lives and farmlands have been seriously polluted by frequent oil spill from Mobil facility”, he said.
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He explained that the protest by Eket youths and other communities affected by the spill was to ensure that ExxonMobil would not shirk its responsibility of cleaning up the environment.
Nduese said there had been more than three oil spills last year which, he alleged, ExxonMobil had always denied responsibility.
“Mobil keeps giving us excuses to wait so they can take samples and identify the spiller and when they identify the spiller, they will ensure that whosever is responsible will do the needful”, he said.
He therefore called for an immediate cleanup of the environment in accordance with the provisions of the law by ExxonMobil.
Reacting, Ogechukwu Udeagha, regional communications manager when contacted, denied that the spill emanated from the company’s facilities.
“There has been no release of oil from any of our facilities. We are not the only operator in the area.
“A preliminary government agency inspection report on the alleged incident did not identify any of our facilities as a potential source.
Protection of the environment and our communities remain key priorities in our operations”, he said.
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