Senate urges Agip oil to remediate Ijaw community affected by spill
This was just as the chamber commended the oil company for
providing some monetary compensation to the affected community as consolation
for the hardship caused by the spill.
The call by the upper chamber was contained in
recommendations adopted by the Senate after it considered a report by the
Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over the alleged failure
by Agip Oil Company to pay compensation to the community affected by crude oil
spillage.
Chairman of the Committee, Patrick Akinyelure, in his
presentation, said the panel received a petition from Dunobene Perekeme on
behalf of Ogboinbiri community.
According to him, the Committee in its findings observed
that the incident of oil spill occurred on June 5, 2021, during the nationwide
lockdown, and was reported to the relevant government regulatory agencies.
He noted that the impact of the oil spill had grossly
affected the means of livelihood of residents of Ogboinbiri community who were
predominantly fishermen, lumbers and farmers.
Akinyelure, disclosed that the clean-up of the affected area
was done without the participation of the host community to ascertain whether
or not the claim of third party inference by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company
Limited (NAOC) was the cause of the spill.
The petitioner, Dunobene Perekeme, in his petition to the
Committee, requested NAOC to ensure proper clean-up and remediation on the
environment without delay.
He also requested that relief materials be provided to the victims of the crude oil spill to cushion the effect of loss of livelihood by the polluter (NAOC).
Perekeme, while reeling out a list of demands, requested
that a total of N3.5 billion naira be paid as specific and general damages for
the claimants whose properties, means of livelihood and health were impacted by
the spill.
Out of the total sum, he explained that N500 million was for
compensation to all claimants as damages to their properties.
In addition, he noted that N20 million would be paid to each
claimant as damages for their health, bringing the total amount to N2.02
billion on health claims.
He said the sum of N1 billion on the other hand was intended
for general damages to the claimants for loss of livelihood to ameliorate their
suffering.
Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday commended the Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria
for tempering justice with mercy and reabsorbing Olubukola Enaohwo who
appointment was terminated on May 2, 2019.
The intervention by the Senate followed a petition received
from Olubukola Enaohwo against FMBN for alleged unjustified termination of her
appointment.
The panel observed that though the petitioner’s employment
was temporary, her employer’s (FMBN) decision to terminate same was not
justified given that she (Olubukola) had spent eight years of her life in
service.
In a related development, the chamber has urged the Nigerian
Institute of Science and Laboratory Technology (NISLT) to forthwith, release
the original copy of the appointment letter it withdrew from Mr. Franklin Ekpe,
following a petition received from the latter.
It also directed that the petitioner (Ekpe) be documented
and absorbed without delay into the service of the Institute with effect from
February, 2019; and all salaries and entitlements accrued to him over the
period duly paid.
Comments
Post a Comment