Oil Spillage: Tension as Ukpiovwin, Oghior communities lay claim to OML 65 in Delta

Tension has risen to the climax in Delta State as Ukpiovwin and Oghior communities in Udu Local Government Area, today lay claims to Abura Flow-line OML65, DAILY POST is reporting.

It would be recalled that an oil spillage recent occurred at the Abura flowline OML 65, affecting seven host communities to NPDC in Udu, including

Ukpiovwin, Ubogo, Emadadja, Ogbe-Udu ,Okolor Waterside & Okolor Inland, Oghior while Out-Jeremi community in Ughelli South Local Government was also affected in October this year.

DAILY POST gathered that a Joint Investigation Team,JIV, from the company visited the affected communities to ascertain the extent of damage before a post-clean up exercise will be conducted.

Meanwhile, a fire outbreak recently occurred at the Flow-line, destroying oil facilities.

The President General of Oghior community, Mr. Wisdom Ghaghara had in a publication of Tuesday, November 29 claimed that part of Ukpiovwin community which was affected by the spillage belongs to Oghior community as he also claimed to have reported the fire incident to NPDC.

President General of Ukpiovwin community, Mr. Lucky Ejenavwo laid claim to the Abura Flow-Line (the affected area in Ukpiovwin Community)on behalf of his people at a Press Conference held at Ukpiovwin Community Town Hall today.

Ejenavwo who was flanked by Jefa Joseph, Vaikosen Lucky and Omofuophu Francis, Vice President General, Secretary and Spokesman of the community respectively refuted media reports which was purportedly credited to the President General of Oghior community, Mr. Wisdom Ghaghara where he claimed to have alerted the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, of an oil spillage and a recent fire incident at Abura Flowline OML65.

“To our utmost dismay, the President General, Oghior community, Mr. Wisdom Ghaghara is laying claim to the fact that he was the one that alerted NPDC when the spill occurred. This is a blatant lie as the records are there to verify that I, LUCKY EJENAVWO, Surveillance contractor and PG Ukpiovwin community reported the spill to NPDC.”

Ejenavwo noted that the claim of the President General of Oghior community is a ‘’blatant lie” as he points to verifiable records that he as the PG of Ukpiovwin Community and Surveillance Contractor reported the spill to NPDC.

He stated that the publication credited to Mr. Wisdom Ghaghara is a “Conscious step to deceive NPDC and others and a deliberate attempt to cause bad blood between Ukpiovwin and Oghior Community”.

Ejenavwo called on the people of Udu Local Government Area, management of NPDC and Nigerians to disregard the said publication stressing that, “it is unfounded, baseless “ and a “figment of imagination” of Mr. Gaghara and his co-traveler,” just as he appealed to Ukpiovwin people to remain calm.

According to him, “The activities of vandals was responsible for the spill that occurred on the Abura Flowline OML 65.”

“That I, Mr. Lucky Ejenavwo, the President General, Ukpiowin Community, who doubles as the Surveillance Contractor, reported the incident to the Manager Security Department, NPDC, via a text statement. The record is with NPDC.”

“That following my report, NPDC, came to the scene to see things for themselves which necessitated the company to on 27th of October, 2016, sending a team for the JIV text. The JIV text was concluded on Friday, November 25th, 2016.”

“On Sunday November 27th, 2016, within the hours of 800 and 900 hours, my Youth Leader, Mr. Adile James, called my mobil phone to inform me that there was fire incident at the Abura Flowline where the spill occured. I immediately sent a text message to the Manager Security Department, NPDC and Warri Field Office (WFO) to send fire fighters to the scene. This can also be verified.”

“To our utmost dismay, the President General, Oghior community, Mr. Wisdom Ghaghara is laying claim to the fact that he was the one that alerted NPDC when the spill occurred. This is a blatant lie as the records are there to verify that I, LUCKY EJENAVWO, Surveillance Contractor and PG Ukpiovwin community reported the spill to NPDC.”