By Sandra Michaels
The House Committee on South-South Development Commission has resumed its investigative hearing into prolonged gas seepage in Bille, Rivers State, and oil spills affecting Odidi, Ogulagha, Odimodi and over 200 coastal communities in Delta State.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Julius Pondi, said the Bille gas seepage has persisted for nearly a year, while the Odidi spill linked to Heritage Energy and spills in Odimodi linked to Chevron have polluted waterways, disrupted fishing and threatened livelihoods.
He stressed that the hearing is not to prejudge any party but to establish facts, enforce accountability and ensure restoration of environment and livelihoods, warning that economic importance of oil and gas must go hand-in-hand with protection of host communities.
In his submission, a representative of the Bile Host Communities mentioned that the inhabitants are currently running out of patience due to the untold hardship they have encountered over the years, alongside the nonchalance displayed by the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulation Commission NUPRC
Responding at the hearing, the Director of Surface Development at the NUPRC, Joseph Ogunsola, urged the Committee to prevail on the Bille community to embrace peaceful resolution of the gas seepage crisis, cautioning against involving foreign solicitors which could escalate the situation rather than resolve it.
Going forward, the committee thereby directed the NUPRC to avail its bi-weekly progress reports in the area of addressing the challenges of the Host Community.
