Pilex Centre has noticed that pipelines criss-crossing lands in Niger Delta are quietly leaking and seeping low into underground water level. The leakage is only noticed as spill when it sprays out of the surface soil for all to see. Something dangerous is happening underneath the Niger Delta Environment.
Only 5 days ago, one of the very old and weak pipes of SHELL spilled over the surface soil in Rumuoduwere community in Elelenwo Village in Rivers State, Nigeria.
PILEX CENTRE FOR CIVIC EDUCATION INITIATIVE in company of Nigeria info 92.3 Radio, visited the Leaders of the Community and the people revealed that;
1. These pipelines are over 60 years old and have started breaking away.
2. When bore hole is dug underground to 150 metres into the earth, the water discovered smells like kerosene and is undrinkable, pointing to possible underground crude oil spill which is hazardous to the now urban community because of its proximity to the capital city of the State. As such, to get clean water, residents must continue to dig deeper and deeper to 200 metres and more.
3. The assessment of the spill by SHELL and other relevant Agencies reveal equipment failure.
4. The spill moves from pipeline right of way to 3rd Party environment and assessment of surface damage has been done without underground chemical hazard damage assessment done to determine how deep the oil has spilled into the ground.
5. That rain disrupted the intervention of SHELL meaning that the crude oil has spread into the farm and private lands and water source.
6. That the air quality in the affected area is dense with heavy chemical smell for the past 5 days and running.
7. That a Church and private houses are around the spill site making it hazardous to the health of the people around.
8. That Non-Governmental Independent Monitors are not allowed to snap or video the site for the public to know what is really happening there.
As such, PILEX CENTRE hereby recommends.
1. An underground assessment of the spill site by SHELL and NOSDRA to know the dept of the spill in order to better contain the almost intractable crude below the soil surface.
2. Assessment of the underground water in Elelenwo community to know level of underground water pollution by Independent Experts.
3. Declare the water level underground within the range of 20 Metres to 150 Metres undrinkable and hazardous.
4. SHELL should Build a health centre to check the state of the inhabitants in the polluted area in view of determining the impact of the contaminated drinking water, ingested food and inhaled air in view of treating the victims.
5. Immediate replacement of all the old pipelines in the community and Niger Delta as a whole to conform to International best practices.
6. Moratorium placed on DIVESTMENT until SHELL DECOMMISSIONS properly in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.
7. Release of Host Community Trust Fund to tackle the immediate hunger and health concerns of the impacted Communities who can no longer farm, fish, hunt or drink clean water.
8. Clean up of the entire Niger Delta by Hyprep beyond Ogoni Land.
9. Clean up of the NIGER DELTA ENVIRONMENT becomes a major Call in The End Bad Governance protest because our people are dying slowly without knowing that their underground water which they drink is contaminated by crude oil.
10. That SHELL and other MNOC’S stop their operations until they begin the replacement of expired pipes and clean up of the NIGER DELTA ENVIRONMENT.
11. That special Environmental Hazard diagnosis and Treatment Health Centre be built in every polluted host community to contain the health impact of crude oil and gas pollution.
12 . That the DIVESTMENT procedure be made transparent for the Communities to know what is happening and a copy of the DIVESTMENT contract be given to Host Communities (major stakeholders and burden bearers of the business) in line with international standards of business transparency and free priorand informed consent. The community people should evaluate the new company coming into their land and discuss terms of engagement with them before operations.
13. That DIVESTMENT procedure be reformed to include clean-up/restoration of the environment before transfer of liability is approved.
Signed
Coordinator Pilex Centre For Civic Education Initiative.
