Major Showdown Looms As Gbaramatu Communities Issue 7-Day Ultimatum To NNPCL’s Pipelines And Storage Company Over Oil Spill Compensation

Tension is currently building up in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State as residents are spurring for a major protest against Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company Limited (NPSC), a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited over failure in paying compensation for damages caused by an oil spill from the company’s Warri to Escravos pipeline.

BIGPEN NIGERIA, https://bigpenngr.com reports that already, the residents drawn from Oporoza, Okpele-Ama/Tebujor, Ikpokpo, Opuedebubo, Opuede, Atamba, Ogbotu, Okerenkokogbene, Gan-Ama Zion, Kala-Ikpokpo, Meike-Ama, Fia-Fia Zion and Oturu-ebagbene Communities, in Gbaramatu Kingdom, have perfected plans to occupy the corporate and operational offices of the firm, a development that may likely disrupt oil workers activities in the area if their demands are not met within the stipulated time.

In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of NPSC, through their solicitor; Eric Omare, Esq., the communities issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management of NPSC to pay compensation for damages caused by an oil spill to their farm lands and other means of livelihood..

Omare, had in an earlier letter informed NPSC of the oil spillage of the 10th day of August, 2024 at Atamba Community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State from it Warri to Escravos pipeline.

After the letter of 21st August, 2024, the communities through their solicitor wrote another letter dated 15th of October, 2024 demanding for joint investigation visit, payment of compensation and clean-up of polluted environment but no action was taken by the company.

However, in the latest letter addressed to the Managing Director of NPSC, the people are demanding that the company conclude the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV), pay compensation for damages, and clean up the polluted environment within seven days.

The communities threatened to stage protests at the company’s corporate and operational offices if their demands are not met within the stipulated period.

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The oil spill, which occurred on August 10, 2024, at Atamba Community, has adversely affected the means of livelihood of the people in the affected communities.

The communities have been engaging with the company and relevant regulatory agencies, including the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), to resolve the issue amicably.

Omare said; “Officials of your company on 2/9/2024 and 18/11/ 2024, together with representatives of NOSDRA visited the site of the spillage. However, a conclusion could not be reached because of the unpreparedness of your company to open up the point of spillage as agreed by all the parties concerned.

“Arising from these visits, an appeal was made to the communities representatives to allow the process of the JIV and the subsequent steps relating to the payment of compensation and clean up to be done within the shortest possible time, not more than seven days.

“However, more than a month after these visits, your company has refused, neglected/failed to follow due process by concluding the JIV, pay compensation for damages and clean up the polluted environment.

“In the light of the foregoing, your company is hereby given seven days ultimatum from Wednesday, 11/12/2024 to conclude the JIV, pay compensation for the damages caused by the August 10, 2024 oil spillage and clean up the damaged environment.

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“Take notice that should you fail to yield to this demand within the stipulated period, we shall resort to all available means to ensure that our demands are met including staging protest at your corporate and operational offices”, the letter reads.

However, the communities have expressed frustration with the company’s slow response and failure to take concrete actions to address the issue.

The seven-day ultimatum is seen as a last resort by the communities to push the company to take responsibility for the damage caused by the oil spill.

The letter which was copied the Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Delta stare commissioner of oil and gas, his counterpart in Environment, state commissioner of police, commanding officer, Effurun Barracks, Director, State Security Services Asaba, Head, State Security Services, Warri South West LGA, Area Manager, NPSC, Ekpan-Warri, Zonal Head, NOSDRA, Effurun, DPOs of Ekpan, Ogbe-Ijoh and the commandant, NSCDC, was signed on behalf of the Gbaramatu Kingdom pipeline host communities by Godwin Fibade (Oporoza ), Lucky Bebenimibo (Okpele-Ama/Tebujor ), Elisah Odudu (Ikpokpo ), Theophilus Emotimide (Opuedebubo), Mackson Ode (Opuede), Jonathan Micah (Atamba), Oliver Mala (Ogbotu ), Shadrach Tangbe (Okerenkokogbene), Sufficient Kpenfe (Gan-Ama Zion), Profit Omula (Kala-Ikpokpo), Precious Racce (Meike-Ama), Shadrach Jemibra (Fia-Fia Zion), and David Saturday (Oturu-Ibagbene),