Incessant Oil Spillage Destroying Our Means Of Livelihood, Ondo Residents Cry Out
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Some residents affected by oil spillage in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have cried out for help following the damage done to their environment.
SaharaReporters gathered on Monday that the spillage, which was noticed on April 2 at a location known as ‘Single Pole Ikorigho’, was caused by the ongoing work at Ororo field.
No fewer than 20 communities including Awoye, Mese, Gbakura, Akintola, Jero, Odofado, Oroto, Aiyetoro, Ilowo, Obe-nla, Okupi and Ogundeje, Ogbaro, Ilowo, Odonla, Megba, Enikanselu mainly in Ugbo kingdom have been badly affected by the oil pollution.
It was learnt that ruptured pipelines have continued to discharge a mixture of gas and crude oil under high pressure, thereby exposing the people to danger.
Several residents of the oil-rich community, who are mostly farmers and fishermen, told our correspondent that the leakage had destroyed their farmlands and fishing business.
Narrating his ordeal to SaharaReporters, a local fisherman in the community, Mr Nejo Oriade, said the spillage was caused by exploration activities by an oil firm.
He said, “The oil spillage had been on for some time now. Our air is polluted and the water is now contaminated but no one is talking about this, not even the state government.
“The said company is spraying the crude oil on the air and when it settles on the water, it changes the water.
“I fell victim because my fishing net got hooked to the spillage and the impact have destroyed our source of livelihoods.”
A farmer, Joshua Ikuoye, said that the oil that spills into the environment has affected his yam and cassava farmland.
Ikuoye added that several bags of cassava placed in his farm had been soaked and contaminated as a result of the spilled oil.
He said, “So, we are seriously begging the government to come and rescue us.
“We are sending this message to them because this is the only source of our livelihood and it has been destroyed.”
When contacted, Ondo State Commissioner for Environment, Funso Esan, said the government was aware of the spillage and a fact finding committee had been sent to access the real cause of the pollution.
Esan however, advised residents of the affected communities to exercise patience with government pending when it will find a solution to the pollution.
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SaharaReporters, New York
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