Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has assured the people of Uzere Kingdom in Isoko South Local Government Area of his administration's support following a recent oil spill in the area. The governor gave the assurance during a visit to oil spill sites in Uzere, where he assessed the extent of the damage and obtained first-hand information to guide the state government's engagement with the operating company, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL).
Oborevwori stated that his administration had been monitoring developments in Uzere and other affected communities, including Odidi, through reports from government officials, community leaders, and other stakeholders. However, he considered it necessary to visit the locations personally to understand the situation better. The governor recalled that following a similar incident in Odidi, the state government deployed more than 100 medical personnel to provide healthcare services to residents.
The governor directed the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, to ensure that residents of the affected communities received appropriate medical attention, including examinations to establish possible health implications of the incident. He added that the medical outreach would also cover residents of Uzere town. Oborevwori said the government had engaged HEOSL, the operating company, and received explanations on the measures taken to contain the incident.
According to the governor, HEOSL had undertaken preliminary engagements with the host communities before commencing containment and cleanup operations, and he expressed satisfaction that the cleanup exercise was already underway. However, Oborevwori noted that the exercise must be followed by appropriate remediation to address the environmental damage. He urged the company to sustain its engagement with the communities and ensure that their legitimate concerns were addressed.
The governor cautioned residents against interpreting the time taken to address some of their complaints as a lack of commitment by the government, insisting that due process and established procedures must be followed. Oborevwori commended the people for maintaining peace despite their grievances, stressing that dialogue remained the most effective means of resolving disputes between host communities and oil companies.
Earlier, the Manager Government and Community Relations of HEOSL, Dr. Jeremiah Oharisi, explained that the company received information about gas build-up at the well on June 27. He stated that the well had two production strings, known as Lima and Syria, which were shut down in 2019 and 2023, respectively, leaving it inactive before the incident. Oharisi said the company immediately activated emergency response measures, including securing the affected area and evacuating residents from the vicinity.
The President-General of Uzere Kingdom, Chief Edward Onyagbodor, lamented that the company's intervention had largely been limited to the provision of palliatives estimated at between N10.2 million and N10.6 million. A former President-General of the Isoko Development Union, Chief Iduh Amadhe, urged the governor to prevail on HEOSL to demonstrate greater commitment to the welfare of its host communities.
Key points
- The Delta State government will ensure oil companies meet their obligations to host communities affected by oil spills.
- The governor has deployed medical personnel to provide healthcare services to residents of the affected communities.
- The cleanup exercise has commenced, but remediation efforts are needed to address environmental damage.
