Ogoni Community Decries Abandonment Despite Multiple Oil Spillages

The people of Kpean, a community with 14 oil wells in Ogoniland, Rivers State, known as Yorla oil fields, have decried the abandonment of the community by the government and multinational oil companies despite multiple oil spillages in the area.

The traditional ruler of the community, Chief Lucky Ewoh, disclosed this in an address he presented at the weekend during a visit to Kpean by the Health of Mother Earth (HOMEF), christened: “Evidence Gathering.”

Ewoh’s address, which was read by the community’s youth leader, Comrade Lemii Petaba, accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Exploration Company Limited and African Reinnessance Energy Company Limited of being responsible for the incidents.

He said, “This disaster has stripped our people of the very foundation of survival. Our farmlands lie barren, our rivers and sources of food, and income are poisoned, and our children suffer from hunger and illness, no health support programme by the asset owner even when the community have written several letters to that effect and this continue to be a concern till date.

“It is true and on records, that Kpean community once lived in dignity in the entire Ogoni nationality, now struggle to find water, safe food and shelter, due to devastation of the natural resources, the government and ally.

“The destruction had not only robbed us of our environment, but also of our peace of mind and future progress.

“We gather before you today, not as statistics, but as human beings whose lives have been shattered. We ask you to see us, to hear our cries and to carry our story beyond these boundaries .

“Those responsible for this spill must be held accountable for the harm inflicted upon our community.

“Likewise, we call upon the government institutions to fulfil their duty of protection by enforcing environmental laws, ensuring transparency, and standing with the people rather than standing by powerful companies.

“They must clean our land, restore our waters, provide healthcare for inhaled hydrocarbons and compensate our people for the pain they have inflicted. We expect full remediation of our environment, fair compensation for the losses we have endured and compensate our people for the pain inflicted.”

In his remarks, HOMEF executive director, Rev.. Nnimmo Bassey, said the community needs to present a credible evidence about the multiple oil spills in the area.

“Because of the depth of the challenges confronting this community and other communities in Ogoniland, we believe that whatever happens, we need to present credible evidence so that anybody who takes that, the people here are not mere statistics, as the welcome address said, will know that you are not statistics, you are real people, having real problems and doing everything you can do to survive the situation despite the heavy pressures from the forces of darkness and destruction.

“So, I want to salute you for your strength, for your resilience, for your unity and standing together and for showing others that things can be emphasised peacefully, strongly and success can come at the end of the day.

“We have taken to heart everything written on this welcome address and we are very impressed. It is very rear to go to a community and they present this kind of well-documented thought-out address,” Bassey said.

Also speaking, a frontline activist, Celestine Akpobari, thanked the HOMEF executive director for remembering Kpean Community, pointing out that his presence in the community was an indication that the problems of oil spills will soon be resolved.

Akpobari said: “I want to thank our leader, Rev. Nnimmo Basset for remembering this community. He is someone who the government and oil companies that are destroying our environment, respect whatever he says. For him to remember Kpean, it means that we are on the way to solving the problem of this community and I pray that God will help us to solve the problem.

“Secondly, I want to thank our traditional ruler, Chief Lucky Ewoh, for trying his best to make this community better. You know, a lot of things have occurred in this community.”