Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has assured residents of Bille in Degema Local Government Area that measures are underway to address the ongoing gas eruption in the community.
Fubara gave the assurance during a meeting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday involving officials of the Federal Government, leaders of the Bille community, and operators in the oil and gas sector.The governor said the meeting examined the cause of the eruption and agreed on coordinated steps to prevent a recurrence.
According to him, state officials had earlier visited the affected community alongside representatives of oil operators and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources to assess the situation on the ground.
“The meeting is in respect of the situation in Bille. You’re aware that there is a case of gas leakage somewhere in Bille, and the people have been making some requests that the government should come to their rescue to resolve the situation,” Fubara said.
“As a state, we have gone to see the situation in the community, not alone but in conjunction with the industry operators and officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. What we are doing today is an enlarged meeting where all the parties are sitting together to look at the cause of the issue and the most possible way to get the problem resolved,” he added.
The governor described the meeting as successful, expressing optimism that it would lead to concrete interventions.
He said representatives of the Bille community, led by traditional rulers, expressed satisfaction with the discussions, while oil company representatives and federal officials also made commitments towards addressing the situation.
“I can say that it was a very successful meeting because the Bille community, ably represented by their chiefs, are all smiling. It means that the outcome of the meeting was a good one,” he said.
Fubara also pledged that the Primary Healthcare Centre in Bille would be upgraded to help address health challenges facing residents of the area.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri Ekpo, who led the Federal Government delegation, said authorities had been working to determine the cause of the eruption since it was reported.
He noted that technical investigations were ongoing, adding that initial assessments were complicated by the absence of known oil or gas infrastructure in the immediate vicinity.
“The investigation is still going on, but we decided to do a follow-up visit to the area to talk to the people of Bille Community, and we need collaboration on their part so that we would be able to arrive at a lasting solution,” Ekpo said.
“The safety of the people is paramount. We can understand their anxiety, the worry and the danger that this poses within the area, but the Federal Government is committed to finding a lasting solution,” he added.
He stressed that the government’s priority was safeguarding lives and ensuring environmental and community safety.
Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, said the commission, as the regulatory authority overseeing the sector, would not relent in efforts to resolve the situation.
He added that the NUPRC and industry operators were prepared to respond to community requests, including the provision of potable water and fire-fighting equipment to affected areas.
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