The oil spill
The Senate has asked the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited to accelerate environmental action on remediating Ogboinbiri community affected by crude oil spill in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State within the next 90 days.
However, it hailed the oil company for providing some monetary compensation to the affected community as consolation for the hardship caused by the spill.
The call is contained in the recommendations adopted by the Senate after it considered a report by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over the alleged failure by Agip to pay compensation to the community affected by crude oil spillage.
In his presentation, Chairman of the Committee, Patrick Akinyelure (PDP, Ondo Central) noted that the panel received a petition from Dunobene Perekeme on behalf of Ogboinbiri community, adding that the committee in its findings observed that the oil spill occurred on June 5, 2021, during the nationwide lockdown, and was reported to the relevant government regulatory agencies.
The petitioner, Dunobene Perekeme, in his petition to the committee, requested NAOC to ensure proper clean-up and remediation on the environment without delay. He also requested that relief materials be provided to the victims of the crude oil spill to cushion the effect.
Perekeme, while reeling out a list of demands, requested that a total of N3.5 billion be paid as specific and general damages for the claimants whose properties, means of livelihood and health were impacted by the spill.
Out of the total sum, he explained that N500 million was for compensation to all claimants as damages to their properties.
Meanwhile, the Senate commended the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria for tempering justice with mercy and reabsorbing Olubukola Enaohwo, who appointment was terminated on May 2, 2019.
The intervention by the Senate followed a petition received from Olubukola Enaohwo against FMBN for alleged unjustified termination of her appointment.
The panel observed that though the petitioner’s employment was temporary, her employer’s (FMBN) decision to terminate same was not justified given that she (Olubukola) had spent eight years of her life in service.
Vanguard News Nigeria
