The Ijaw Diaspora Council (IDC) has demanded immediate relief to communities impacted by the current oil and gas leaks from the Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company-operated oil field at Nembe in Bayelsa State.

The group urged the oil firm to live up to its CSR policies and adopt best practices by providing a support fund of at least $500,000 to the impacted settlements.

The demand is contained in a letter dated November 15 and signed by the president of IDC, Monday Gold; the director of community outreach, Festus Odubo, and Brisibe Nabena, the director of conflict resolution.

The IDC, with headquarters in New Jersey, US, is seeking immediate deployment of appropriate technology to plug the oil well blow-out which had allegedly been discharging an estimated 100,000 barrels of crude into the waters for the past two weeks.

The letter was addressed to Benedict Peters, Chief Executive of Aiteo Group, an indigenous firm that operates Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29 following the 2015 divestment of Shell from the asset.

It stated that Aiteo’s CSR includes the expression “To encourage a positive impact, through our activities, on the environment, consumers, employees, communities and stakeholders.

It further stated that Aiteo’s assurances to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life for their workforce, families, as well as of the local community and society as a whole, needs to be put into practice.

The statement also highlighted Aiteo’s promise of being responsible stewards of the Earth.

The group noted that it was acting on information of its members, in particular, those from Nembe Local Government Area who are directly affected by the spill from Aiteo’s facility.

According to the letter, the group said Aiteo must promptly plug the blowout as required by Nigerian law, and retain the failed Christmas Tree structure atop the wellhead for future independent analysis to ascertain the source of the failure.

“Aiteo must immediately deploy sufficient oil spill containment and cleanup equipment and personnel to contain and collect as much of the spilt hydrocarbon pollutant as possible, as required by Nigeria law, and hire as many local community members as possible.

“This is a Tier III oil spill (the largest category) and Aiteo should contract with local and international experts such as Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) in Southampton, UK, or other experts to conduct a large-scale Tier III spill response.

“Aiteo must provide immediate, interim response funding directed by Aiteo to the affected Ijaw people of at least US$500,000, to be used by the affected people to support their initial sustenance in response to the spill.

“This initial funding will in no way prejudice future claims for compensation for the spill and will allow local Ijaw people to purchase alternative food resources during the spill.

“Contaminated fish from the spill cannot be consumed. This response fund is not to be directed to IDC but the affected communities,” the group advised.

The group further requested that Aiteo should support and cooperate with IDC’s technical advisor to join the official Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

They urged Aiteo to immediately commission an independent, scientific, environmental damage assessment by a credible, independent scientific institution.

“Aiteo must preserve all evidence, including documents, video and photographs, and actual equipment (in particular, the failed Christmas Tree structure) that may be relevant to determining the cause of the wellhead failure and spill.

“Aiteo must provide the community with all records pertaining to this well.

“It should include the well’s design and installation, any or all inspection and maintenance the company has performed on the well,” the group stated.

The oil firm was said to have, at the weekend, donated four truckloads of relief materials, including food items and other sundry items for the medical facilities in the area.

The relief materials were accompanied by a cash donation of N5 million for the affected communities. 

(NAN)