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Dangote refinery will address supply shortages, price hikes – IPMAN

Eteo oil Spill destroyed communities’ source of water – Rights group Health of Mother Health Foundation (HOMEF), has again decried the recent oil spills that ravaged Aleto and Eteo communities in Eleme Local Government of Rivers State, saying it has crippled farming and fishing activities in the area. HOMEF said the spills also destroyed the communities’ only source of potable water. HOMEF and members of Oilwatch Nigeria that paid a visits to the two scenes recently for an on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the level of response and possible cleanup of the affected environment said it met the environment still in a sorry situation as nothing is being done to salvage or clean the pollutions caused by the spills. A statement by HOMEF on Saturday by the Media and Communication Lead, Kome Odhomor, Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, expressed displeasure that the oil companies are neither decommissioning their aged infrastructure nor ensuring that their facilities are in good working condition. He regretted that rather than remediating the harm caused by their activities, more investments are being made by the oil companies to expand the areas of threat. Bassey further lamented that two months after the spill occurred, the companies have yet to respond and interface with the communities in any meaningful way. “It was heartbreaking to listen to the lamentation of the community women who now have no source of potable water and cannot process their cassava, a major staple due to the pollution of their stream. The insensitivity of the polluters and regulatory agencies is appalling. These atrocious incidents are also compounding the work of HYPREP. While the agency is working to clean some areas, these polluting incidents are threatening to erase their efforts.” During the site visits, coordinator, Peoples Advancement Centre (PAC), and member Oilwatch Nigeria Celestine Akpobari, called on NOSDRA and other relevant agencies of government to do the needful and send relief materials to the starving people immediately. “It is sad and very embarrassing that a spill of this magnitude at Eteo would happen in very close proximity to human habitation and the NPDC and the government of Nigeria carry on as if nothing has happened to the people. It is worse that the spill has affected the community's only source of drinking water. It is not enough to just sneak in at night to clamp the pipe, the right thing must be done.” While receiving the team of CSOs who visited his palace, His Royal Highness Emere Emmanuel T. Akobe the Paramount ruler of Eteo community expressed shock over the attitude of the NPDC saying, “Our beautiful stream is dead, My people don’t deserve this type of treatment and after we have brought the notice of the National Assembly, there is still no response from them, and my people continue to suffer the impact of the spill.” HOMEF reiterates that Aleto and Eteo communities and the entire Niger Delta must not be treated like disposable or sacrifice zones for profit-seeking endeavors. NOSDRA should be more proactive in meeting the challenging situations of oil spills in the region, while the polluting companies should urgently halt their polluting activities, clean up their spills, and pay compensation to affected individuals and communities. The CSOs also demanded that oil companies decommission all aged pipelines and facilities in the region in line with UNEP recommendations in the assessment of the Ogoni environment.

Written by

Dahiru Ali

in

*Calls for revival of all moribund refineries in Nigeria

The new Dangote refinery will address issues of fuel shortages and price hikes in the country, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said.

Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Community depot in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states, said in an interview that the 18.5 billion dollar Dangote refinery, with 650, 000 barrel production capacity which was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, will go a long way in repositioning the country’s economy..

Anyaso however envisaged an initial increase in fuel pump price, but said it would decrease in the long run.

“They will buy locally, refine and sell locally and we will no longer need forex to import products but rather, it will sell refined products and earn us forex.

“It is a welcome development,” he said.

The IPMAN chairman urged the Federal Government to revive its four refineries and optimise their production to support what Dangote would produce, to ensure full sufficiency of the products. 

He thanked the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for signing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) which encouraged private sector investment in the oil and gas industry.

Anyaso cautioned against monopoly, saying it would leave Nigerians worse off if left at the mercy of one supplier.

“We need more players to come in because the market is there, so there should be competition; the Federal Government should ensure a monopoly is not created.

“The PIA which this administration graciously signed encourages private sector involvement, people who have the capacity should be encouraged to follow the Dangote example,” he added.

Anyaso called for revitalisation and operationalisation of all moribund depots, including that of Enugu for easy distribution of petroleum products.

He said this would reduce the challenges of sourcing products and drive down prices.

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