At last, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has supplied relief materials to Obololi community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, following an oil leak from a Shell facility located in the area.
Chairman of Obololi Community Development Committee, Mr. Goodnews Okoi confirmed the development in a telephone interview on Monday
He said that the community took delivery of the materials which include drinking water, food items, and perishable fresh food items like fish, amongst others at the weekend.
Okoi explained that the community leaders, immediately decided to commence the distribution of perishable items like fish, while other items will be distributed amongst the impacted people.
The community leader said the arrival of the items followed their cries to Shell, the operator of the Nun River-Kolo pipeline, describing the gesture as a welcome development.
According to Okoi, Obololi River has been temporarily diverted to create access to the underwater pipeline for examination by the joint investigation team.
He also said that a joint investigation visit to the spill point has been scheduled for Monday (today).
It would be recalled that the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), traced the source of the leak to a 16 inch Nun River-Kolo Creek underwater pipeline operated by Shell.
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The spill agency however, recommended a temporary diversion of the river to create access to the leak point on the pipeline for empirical examination to identify the cause of the leak.
The logistics challenge of mobilising heavy equipment, including excavators and swamp buggies to the coastal community has delayed the investigation.
The community chairman regretted that the diversion of the Obololi River to pave way for the investigation was disrupting fishing and transportation in the area.
“The diversion of the river is causing some discomfort to us as a community, but it is a sacrifice we are making to ascertain the real cause of the spill.
“We have gone through a lot since the spill occurred on February 16, and yet we have remained patient, until Shell brought the relief materials to show empathy and concern for us,” Okoi said.
A spokesman for Shell, Mr. Michael Adande, confirmed that the oil firm has shut oil feeds into the leaking pipeline.
