His Royal Majesty, King Biobelemoye Josiah, Ogbodo VIII, the Amayanabo of Opu-Nembe Kingdom, has expressed gratitude to Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri for his compassion in the aftermath of the Nembe oil spill.
Josiah made the remark in a letter addressed to the Governor and made available to journalists in Abuja on Saturday.
According to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), an oil well operated by an indigenous oil company, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production, within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29, has been discharging oil and gas into Nembe Creeks since November 5.
Despite the fact that the oil company has sought foreign technical assistance from a US firm, Boots and Coots, to stop the leak, the discharge continues.
The traditional ruler praised the governor for condemning the ongoing oil and gas spill.
He bemoaned the ongoing devastation of the environment and the loss of livelihood for the people of the Opu-Nembe kingdom.
He also praised Gov. Diri for forming a committee to assess the extent and impact of the spill.
As a result, the King appreciated the Governor’s on-the-spot assessment of the ravaging oil and gas blowout, which has yet to be contained for about a month.
“We record Your Excellency’s empathy in providing immediate cushioning financial support to all segments of the Kingdom during your visit.”
“We also commend you for immediately directing your Deputy to form a “Assessment Committee” to investigate the Nembe Oil Spillage.
“Your Excellency, my people and I would also like to thank you for urging AITEO, whose oil wellhead caused the spill, to provide adequate remediation/compensation for affected communities, families, businesses, farmlands/fishing waterways/implements.”
“Your Excellency, on behalf of the good people of Opu-Nembe Kingdom, I respectfully request that you use your honorable position to request that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) expedite the distribution of relief materials to communities affected by the persistently gushing oil and gas spill.”
“Also, for the following federal government agencies: The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Regulatory Commissions of the relevant Streams (up, mid, and down) in the oil industry, The National Environmental Sanitation and Regulatory Agency (NESREA), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC), to show more concern for the well-being of my people and to alleviate their sufferings,” he said.
It should be noted that Aiteo management paid a visit to the King a few days after the incident occurred to brief him on response measures to contain the leak. Aiteo expressed concern about the leak’s impact and donated relief materials.
Andrew Oru, Director of Aiteo Group, visited the spill site on Thursday and stated that, in addition to the previous four truck loads of food and medical supplies, an additional five truck loads of relief materials were handed over to the victims.
NAN also reports that President Muhammad Buhari dispatched the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, to the spill site on Nov. 25 to empathize with impacted residents and ensure an adequate response.
Diri went to the spill site on November 30, five days after Sylva visited.