Pollution: Reps panel urges clean-up of Buguma oil well

The House of Representatives Committee on Environment has directed the immediate clean-up of impacted communities affected by an oil spill and fire incident at Well 8, Buguma, Degema Local Council of Rivers State.

The directive by the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Julius Pondi, followed the hearing over a petition against the activities of NNPC Eighteen Operating Limited.

The Committee directed the NNPCL and NEOL to immediately provide urgent intervention by supplying relief materials to the affected communities.

The Committee further granted the request for a three-week extension to NNPCL and NEOL for a fair hearing and the right of reply on the engagement.

The Committee expressed concern that the affected communities have been languishing in squalor, adding that for over three months, economic activities centered around farming and fishing have come to an abrupt halt, with no access to safe drinking water, medical care, or the basic necessities of life.

The Committee observed that it was unfortunate that the incident had resulted in air pollution and significant contamination of bodies of water and farmland, leading to the loss of biodiversity and marine habitats, thereby exposing both Indigenous people and residents of Buguma and its environs to grave health risks and environmental hazards.

It was gathered that the NNPCL had already embarked on the directive to commence the process of remediation, following the clean-up of the impacted communities by sending relief materials to ameliorate the situation.