• Group demands independent probe into incident

Abia State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed a resolution urging the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to, as a matter of urgency, interface with the state government to ameliorate the sufferings of the people of Owaza in Ukwa West Local Council Area who were victims of the recent pipeline explosion that occurred within the Owaza domain.
 
The House, which made this resolution as a matter of urgent public importance, urged that victims of the incident should be compensated for their losses, including properties, but without loss of human lives or injury.
 
The member representing Ukwa West Constituency in the House, Godwin Adiele, had taken the matter to the House, alleging that NPDC has seemingly taken negligence stance over the pitiable impact of the incident on the victims that reportedly caused destruction of houses, farms and other properties in the community.
 
The House condemned the failure of the Company to come to the rescue of the community or live up to expectations on their corporate social responsibility.

Meanwhile, the Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) Nigeria has demanded an independent and scientific investigation into the recent crude oil pipeline explosion in the Owaza Community, which destroyed farms, houses and livestock.
 
According to FENRAD, the incident has further exposed the grave environmental, public health and safety risks posed by Nigeria’s ageing oil and gas infrastructure. The group’s demands were contained in a statement released on Saturday by its Executive Director, Nelson Nnanna Nwafor.
 
The group called for the immediate constitution of a Joint Investigation Visit, involving representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Abia State Ministry of Environment and the pipeline operator, community representatives, independent environmental experts, and civil society organisations.
 
“Such a joint investigation visit is critical to establish the precise cause of the explosion, determine the extent of environmental contamination, assess socio-economic impacts on affected communities, and recommend appropriate remediation and compensation measures,” the statement said.