Ipalibo Banigo Demands Probe Of Explosions At NNPCL Facilities

The recurring blowouts and fire disasters at oil wellheads and installations in Rivers State has raised concerns from the people of the state.
The Senator representing Rivers West, Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, has therefore called for an investigation into the explosions at various NNPCL facilities, particularly within OML 18 in Bonny and Degema Local Government Areas.
The most recent explosion occurred on Cawthorne Channel between the two local government areas. One had earlier occurred in December in Bukuma (Agum) in Degema Local Government Area.
Senator Harry-Banigo who described the frequency of these incidents as alarming, said, “The recurrence of these fire outbreaks within the same OML 18 location in such a short time is deeply troubling. Any responsible society, organization, or institution should consider this a matter of grave concern.”
The Senator, who is the immediate past Deputy Governor of Rivers State, urged NNPCL – the operators of OML 18 to launch a comprehensive investigation into the explosions.
She demanded that the probe must “identify both the immediate and underlying causes of the explosions and fires, as well as their impact on the environment and the livelihoods of host communities.”
While acknowledging that host communities have a role in safeguarding oil installations within their territory, the Senator stressed that operators must also uphold the highest safety standards in their operations.
She urged NNPCL to take swift and decisive action to prevent further hazardous incidents, which continue to pose a threat to the environment and the well-being of affected communities.