The Anambra State House of Assembly has stressed the need to urgently tackle the negative effect of crude oil exploration and theft in Ogwuikpele community, Ogbaru Council Area by Sterling Oil Exploration and Production Company, SEEPCO.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Hon Chidiebele Ibemeka, raised the concerns during an oversight of the community.
The visit provided an opportunity for the legislators to witness firsthand, the challenges faced by the community in the region and the operations of the company.
During the visit, the lawmakers were confronted with the stark reality of environmental degradation, pollution, and socio-economic hardships caused by oil exploration activities in Ogwuikpele as residents, shared their grievances, highlighting the adverse effects on their health, agriculture, and overall quality of life.
Our correspondent gathered that on the 29th February 2024, the company had sought approval to lay an 18-inch Pipe from Imo state passing through Anambra to Delta state, but during the oversight, it was discovered that the company had continued laying the pipes, without any approval.
Speaking, the House Committee Chairman and Member representing Njikoka Constituency One, Hon Ibemeka, voiced the Assembly’s disappointment at the company’s disregard for its financial obligations to the state government.
He explained that the company not only deprived the state of crucial revenue but also undermined its ability to provide essential services and corporate social responsibilities to the host community.
“We have discovered that the company does not have metering system to account for the resources they are drilling here.
“Again, the company’s gas flaring facility is low, thereby killing economic trees and increasing temperature, while they transport products outside the state through the underground pipe into batches without any accounting system as well as no employment of any Anambra indigene.
“This is totally unacceptable for the state government and having listened to different letters from our constituents, we have decided to come and we have confirmed what is going on here,” he said.
Ibemeka noted that the house will take decisive action to address the situation and pledged to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to mitigate the negative impacts of crude oil exploration in the area.
He emphasized the importance of prioritizing the well-being of the affected community and ensuring that their voices are heard.
On his part, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Honourable Ikenna Ofodeme, thanked the people of Ogwuikpele for being supportive and calm, assuring them that the Assembly has resolved to initiate legislative measures aimed at promoting environmental protection and ensuring corporate accountability with the company, to safeguard the interests of Anambra residents and preserve the state’s natural resources for future generations.
During questioning, the Base Manager of SEEPCO, Mr. Kylian Mahtre, who said he joined the company two years ago, noted that over the years, there has been exportation of crude oil and pure gas to Delta state before he joined the company, which has eight oil drilling sites in the state.
The Base Manager denied having a metering system to determine the quantity of oil and gas exported outside the community as drilling and exportation are being done continuously in that area, while two and half batches of oil are being loaded daily.
The president general of the Ogwuikpele community, Mr. Sunday Madupue noted that the impact of the activities of the company drilling oil in the community had resulted in erosion which is already sacking homesteads while oil spillage had contaminated the water bodies.
This he noted, has, in turn, made their farmlands unproductive and aquatic life unsustainable.
Another native, Mr Emmanuel Anene, regretted that the company has refused to meet its Corporate Social Responsibility to the community, noting that there were no facilities such as hospitals, schools, or access roads built by the company, nor did they employ any member of the community.
