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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Central Zone, has raised the alarm over the prolonged gas leakage in Azuzuama Community, Southern Ijaw Local Government ,Bayelsa State, accusing Oando PLC of failing to take decisive action to contain the environmental crisis.
The IYC warned that unless the oil company urgently addresses the leakage, provides relief to affected residents and takes steps to restore the environment, it may mobilise its members to demand the suspension of Oando’s operations in the area.
The IYC Central Zone Chairman, Dr. Enebraye Patrick Orusengha, gave the warning when he led a delegation of the council on an inspection visit to the affected community.
He said it was unacceptable that the gas leakage had continued for approximately two months and 11 days without a decisive intervention from the company.
Dr. Enebraye said the incident had struck at the very lifeblood of Azuzuama, where the river is central to the people’s survival, economy and cultural existence.
According to him, residents have been unable to safely use the affected water for drinking and cooking, while fishing and other river-dependent activities that sustain families have been severely disrupted.
He said the consequences of the leakage extended beyond immediate economic hardship, stressing that the river was also integral to the traditional and cultural activities of the people.
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The IYC chairman demanded that Oando immediately take responsibility for the situation, identify and rectify the source of the leakage, prevent further environmental damage and provide relief to households whose livelihoods had been affected.
He said a company operating within a host community could not continue resource extraction while residents were left to bear the consequences of an unresolved incident that had compromised their means of sustenance.
The IYC also condemned what it described as the failure of the company to provide relief materials since the leakage began, noting that families dependent on fishing had been left to grapple with prolonged hardship without adequate assistance.
Dr. Enebraye called on Oando to immediately engage with representatives of Azuzuama, provide assistance to affected households and undertake comprehensive measures to restore safety and normal economic activities in the community.
He disclosed that if Oando failed to resolve the gas leakage and address the outstanding concerns, the IYC Central Zone would convene a Council Congress in Azuzuama to deliberate on the matter and determine the next line of action.
According to him, the Congress would deliberate on Oando’s continued operations in the area and could pass a resolution calling for the suspension of the company’s operations through lawful and peaceful means if the outstanding issues remained unresolved.
Enebraye stressed that the peaceful disposition of the Ijaw people must never be interpreted as weakness, assuring that the Council would continue to pursue dialogue and established channels of engagement in seeking a resolution.
“The Ijaw people are peaceful, as are the people of Bayelsa and Azuzuama, but our peaceful disposition must never be mistaken for weakness,” the IYC leadership stated.
