By Emmanuel Nduka
Three weeks after one of its oil wells in the Santa Barbara South field in Nembe, Bayelsa State blew up into environmental leakage, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company has informed that it is now ready to plug the wellhead that blew up on November 5 within 48 hours.
Aiteo while assuring that its officials are closely monitoring all activities related to the affected communities in the Nembe Local Government Area of the state, adding that it is still reeling out relief materials to indigenes of the affected area to cushion the effect of the spill.
The move however, comes barely a day after the Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, at the weekly ministerial press briefing in Abuja, threatened to slam “stricter sanctions” on oil firms involved in oil spillage in the Niger Delta.
But in a statement issued on Friday by its Group Managing Director, Victor Okoronkwo, the firm noted that its safety, security and HSE teams are monitoring the quality of air every six hours to ascertain the livability of the areas adjoining ground zero, while also mobilizing additional relief materials for the affected communities.
“Relief materials, viz. mosquito net, hygiene and sanitary kits, disinfectants, food materials, are being mobilised to the immediate communities impacted by the spill.
“The containment exercise continues, with booms and environmental barges mopping up spilt crude.
“All relevant personnel and experts, local and international are now on location. The marine spread carrying the pumps, chemicals, cranes and firefighting equipment are 100 per cent mobilised and have started sail to location,” part of the statement read.
Aiteo added that the ramps that sailed to the ground zero in the area on Wednesday, are expected to boost ongoing containment exercises, with booms and environmental barges already mopping up the spill.
