Director general of the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Engr Chukwuemeka Woke, along with his senior management team, conducted a critical assessment visit to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Port Harcourt.
This urgent visit aimed to evaluate SPDC’s comprehensive efforts in managing the recent oil spill incident in Bonny, which subsequently affected the Oyorokot community in Andoni Local Government Area.
The discussion centred around the effectiveness of SPDC’s initial intervention and the ongoing measures to contain and mitigate the spill’s impact on local communities.
Woke appreciated SPDC’s proactive steps, emphasising the importance of stopping further leakage, alleviating community distress, and preventing the spill’s spread.
He said, “Our presence here ahead of the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) scheduled for tomorrow underscores our commitment to ensuring the site’s readiness for addressing the containment strategies.
We must assess both the immediate measures and long-term plans to manage and remediate the spill’s effects.”
Throughout the visit, NOSDRA underscored its dual role of environmental stewardship and rapid response capability. Engr Woke highlighted their recent provisional approval for using dispersants to control the spill, reinforcing NOSDRA’s dedication to minimising ecological damage and collaborating closely with industry partners for practical solutions.
Further emphasising NOSDRA’s concern over potential shoreline breaches, Dr. Sola Oladipo, Director of Planning, Policy Analysis and Research, reinforced the agency’s focus on preventing further environmental degradation and safeguarding national interests.
Engr Abatam Nwosu, Commander of Emergency Response at Shell Nigeria, reiterated SPDC’s commitment to prioritising community safety and environmental protection. “Our protocols are stringent, focusing first on human safety and environmental integrity,” said Engr Nwosu. “We’ve enacted multiple responsive actions, including containment via maritime vessels, though pinpointing leak origins in open waters is complex. We align with NOSDRA and appreciate the continued support, especially in conducting source analysis.”
He further elaborated on the complexities involved, mentioning potential additional spillage from another operator pipeline and the necessity for analytical sampling to ascertain spill origins amidst multiple operational activities offshore.
The delegation, including Mr Ime Ekanem, Assistant Director, Zonal Head, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, concluded the visit with a reinforced commitment to sustained cooperation to enhance immediate response measures and long-term environmental recovery strategies.
