Delta community cries out over spill, alleges huge loss

• Oil firm pledges to clean up area
• Govt promises to construct access roads

The Okirighwre Community in Sapele Local Council Delta State has expressed concern over recent oil spillage in its domain which it alleged destroyed livestock and crops worth millions of naira.

It also accused an oil company operating in the area of shabby response to the incident, saying its attitude to the cleanup exercise was unimpressive.

An indigene and livestock owner, Mrs. Ese Efetobor, told The Guardian that she lost a lot to the incident, calling on the oil firm to rise to the occasion.

Saying their only source of drinking water had been polluted, Efetobor warned that Seplat’s alleged failure to clean up the spill might force the community to initiate litigation.

She also claimed that several other means of their livelihood were also affected, resulting in huge hunger in the locality.

“We wish to call on government at all levels to immediately come to our aid because the Seplat Oil spillage has affected our community seriously. Our livestock have been destroyed and the only source of drinking water polluted. We need help,” she appealed.

Reacting, a senior official of the oil firm, who craved anonymity, told our reporter that efforts were being made by the management to clean up the area, appealing to the affected livestock owners to remain calm.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, yesterday reassured the citizenry and the business community of the government’s readiness to construct access roads in many communities across the state with a view to addressing the challenges posed by inaccessibility and boosting the socio-economic development of the state.

He gave the assurance during inspection of ongoing projects in parts of the state.

He noted that the ongoing rehabilitation of the 8.5-kilometre Urude road project in Ozoro was progressing and urged the contractor to put in more efforts towards its completion.