Burutu LGA
KOU DELTA COMMUNITIES CALL ON BRITANNIA-U NIGERIA LIMITED TO DO THE NEEDFUL OVER THE DRILLING PLATFORM FIRE ACCIDENT
PRESS RELEASE
July 23, 2024
KOU DELTA COMMUNITIES CALL ON BRITANNIA-U NIGERIA LIMITED TO DO THE NEEDFUL OVER THE DRILLING PLATFORM FIRE ACCIDENT
We, the Leadership of Kou Delta communities express our deep grief over the explosion touching a Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel operated by the indigenous oil and gas company, Britinna-U Nigeria Limited, at the Ajapa Marginal Oil Field on July 18, 2024.
We believe that whatever affects one correspondingly affects the other. Hence we sincerely extend our sympathy with the management and staff of Britannia-U Nigeria Limited for the huge financial losses incurred by the destroyed vessel and spilled crude oil.
Meanwhile, as Leaders of the Kou Delta communities, We are saddled with the uncompromising responsibility of seeing to the well-being and welfare of our communities and our common environment. It is on this ground that We are calling the attention of the Management of Britannia-U Nigeria Limited to the devastating impacts of the oil spillage on our local economies.
It is very unfortunate that the environmentally hazardous content of the exploded vessel is increasingly flowing through our sources of livelihoods, our rivers creeks, streams, ponds, and forests, wrecking havoc on our local means of survival and sustainance. Our fishing nets, hooks, lines, cages, etc. have all been rendered useless by this sad accident.
Our communities in Kou Delta, Burutu Local Government of Delta State, affected by this devastating explosion include:
1. Agge Okibou Community
2. Youtu Community
3. Okibou-Zion Community
4. Okofa-Aka Community
5. Okia Community
6. Kare-Epere Community
7. Belle Community
Other Kou Delta communities adversely affected include:
8. Iyanmenegbene
9. Selegbene
10. Atalegbene
11. Amos-Daugbene
12. Iselemoseigbene
13. Owologbene
14. Ogodo-Igbagbene
15. Igbepou
We therefore call upon the Management of Britannia-U Nigeria Limited, the Burutu Local Government Council, the Delta State Government, the DESOPADEC, the NDDC and the Federal Government to start by making provision of relief items and materials to assist our People until our economic water bodies, shores, banks, meadows and forests are resurrected and become healthy for fishing and farming activities to recommence.
And of ultimate importance is the unavoidable commitment of Britannia-U to be swift and humane enough to:
i. Deploy Safety Team to contain the unabating spread of the crude liquid gold into our ocean, rivers, creeks, streams, etc.
ii. Clean up our waterways of the liquid mess so that natural aquatic lives and aquatic vehicles could be revived, restored and resume work.
iii. Provide just and fair compensation to the communities and families that are adversely affected by this explosion.
We equally want to, again, use this opportunity to call on the oil companies operating in our seas, rivers, creeks, forests and lands to employ standard environmental health practices in their economic interactions with the resources of our environment, so that ugly, sad and preventable occurrences such as this could be prevented.
Signed:
Chief Patrick Irou,
National Chairman, Kou Delta
Comr. Obed Tomone,
Secretary General, Kou Delta
Burutu LGA
Drilling Platform Fire: IYC Tasks Britannia-U to Take Responsibility, Action After Incident
IduwiniVoice
Drilling Platform Fire: IYC Tasks Britannia-U to Take Responsibility, Action After Incident
Following a fact-finding mission to the Ajakpa Field (OML 90) drilling platform of Britannia-U Nigeria Limited;
1. The Ijaw Youth Council, Western Zone, embodies the lamentations of Ijaw communities in Ogulagha Kingdom and its environment that are affected by the fire incident at the Ajakpa Field (OML 90) drilling platform of Britannia-U Nigeria Limited, 10.77 nautical miles south of Forcados Terminal in Delta State, Nigeria, which occured on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
2. The IYC Western Zone expresses concern that more than 72 hours after the unfortunate incident that has attracted widespread attention, the facility remains in flames.
3. While we sympathize with the company over the sad incident resulting to losses, we condemn in strong terms the level of negligence displayed by Britannia-U Nigeria Limited in the face of potential escalation
4. We have it in good authority that the havoc-wrecking inferno could have been avoided if the company had prioritized the welfare of our people by sustaining regular maintenance and repair measures.
5. The IYC Western Zone calls on Britania-U to with immediate effect put off the flames at the facility to avert wrecking further havoc that could arise from the incident site.
6. The IYC Western Zone witnessed with utmost dismay the level at which spilt crude oil content has overtaken the River Forcados once again.
7. Suffice to say that the River Forcados is not only a body of water but a lifeblood of numerous communities, providing essential resources and serving as a vital source of livelihood. The recent incident poses a great threat to the environmental health and economic well-being of communities situated along the River Forcados.
8. That Britannia-U Nigeria Limited should urgently implement actionable strategies to mitigate the impending harsh effects as a result of the incident by providing relief materials to its host – Ogulagha Kingdom, and other communities exposed to these challenges.
9. That failure of Britannia-U Nigeria Limited to address the aforementioned resulting effects of the explosion and appropriate compensation according to international practice would be perceived as a slight and disregard for the welfare of residents of affected communities, that would not be tolerated.
10. Until appropriate remedial measures are effected in full adequacy, the IYC Western Zone will continue to hold Britannia-U Nigeria Limited accountable.
11. Emphatically, we demand utmost accountability and immediate action from Britannia-U Nigeria Limited to restore the River Forcados to a liveable condition.
Signed
Comrade Nicholas Igarama
Chairman, IYC Western Zone
Barr. Ebi Joshua Olowolayemo
Secretary, IYC Western Zone
Tare Magbei
Information Officer, IYC Western Zone
© Source: Daily Report 2024
Burutu LGA
THE CEO OF IDUWINIVOICE MEDIA, PRINCE P.K.BIBAIKEFIE CONGRATULATES CHIEF JULIUS TAKEME ON HIS VICTORY AS CHAIRMAN, BURUTU LG
IduwiniVoice
THE CEO OF IDUWINIVOICE MEDIA, PRINCE P.K.BIBAIKEFIE CONGRATULATES CHIEF JULIUS TAKEME ON HIS VICTORY AS CHAIRMAN, BURUTU LG
PRINCE (DR.) PERETENGBORO KLINTIN BIBAIKEFIE, CEO of IduwiniVoice Media, extended heartfelt congratulations to CHIEF (Dr.) JULIUS TAKEME on his victory as Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government Council Area, Delta State.
BIBAIKEFIE expressed confidence in TAKEME’S ability to bring development to Burutu communities, emphasizing the importance of wisdom and support from all stakeholders.
He commended the people of Burutu for their role in the electoral process and urged continuous backing for TAKEME’S administration.
BIBAIKEFIE’S message highlighted hope and optimism for the future of Burutu LG under TAKEME’S leadership.