Delta Oil Hub Threatens Shut Down Of  NNGPTC Installations, Slam NGC Two Weeks Ultimatum

Oil producing communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta state, have threatened to shut down all gas facilities belonging to Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company, (NGPTC) a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The shut down of facilities would commence after the expiration of a two weeks ultimatum, starting on Monday.

This is coming barely few days after dreaded militant group, Niger Delta Avengers threatens to resume hostility in the region.

BigPen Online recalls that the communities had accused, Nigerian Gas Company,  now known as Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company of “covering up” the incident of gas explosion in the area which affected many communities and damage their means of livelihood in the area.

Gbaramatu Kingdom play host to some of the largest oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region.

The gas blowout, resulting from alleged equipment failure occurred on August 25, 2017 along the Escravos to Warri route of NGC stream of gas pipelines.

Local sources said that instead of carrying out Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site of the explosion to determine the cause of the blowout, the company allegedly deployed soldiers to the site to repair the leaked gas pipeline without the addressing the grievances of the affected Gbaramartu communities.

“We are giving two weeks ultimatum to the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) now known as Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company, owners and managers of the facility to carry out assessment of the extent of damage to the people and communities arising from the gas explosion, implement remedial steps and compensate the people and communities affected by the gas explosion, local representative of the people, Godwin Akori, and Edward Odudu said in the press statement on Sunday.

Arising from a meeting of the affected communities over the weekend, the communities’ leaders said that the ultimatum became necessary because the company have been carryout forceful repair of the damaged gas pipeline without carrying out joint investigation visit to determine the cause of the explosion.

The leaders also said that they are giving the two weeks ultimatum because appeal to the Minister of Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu to intervene on the matter fell on deaf ears.

Giving a graphic details of the incident, the leaders said, when the communities noticed the massive emission of gas from the Escravos to Warri gas pipeline at Ikpokpo community, Gbaramatu Kingdom on August 25, 2017, it promptly informed officials of the NGC office in Warri and the Warri Zonal office of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

“NOSDRA thereafter, called for a meeting of stakeholders on October  12, 2017 in Warri and directed that a joint investigation visit should be carryout to ascertained the cause of the gas explosion.

“However, NGC completely disregarded the NOSDRA directive and instead mobilize contractor to the site of the explosion with the aid of men of the Nigerian Army to forcefully carryout repair of the leaked gas pipeline without the addressing the grievances of the affected Gbaramartu communities. 

They further stated that all efforts by the Zonal office of NOSDRA to get NGC to carryout JIV and take steps to ascertain the extent of damage and carryout out remedial actions have failed.

Ikpokpo, Okpele-Ama, Otogbene, Atanba and other Gbaramatu Communities in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State were grossly affected by the gas blowout.

All efforts to get comments from NGC’s Community Relation Manager, Mr. Violin Antaih proved abortive as at time of publishing this report.