The Nigeria Agip Oil Company has apologized to the Rivers State Government over the former’s obstruction of staff of the Ministry of Environment who were officially assigned to inspect a spill that occurred at their operational base.
It would be recalled that on August 23, 2012, the Rivers State Commissioner for Environment Dr. Nyema Weli and his team were on their official assignment to inspect an oil spillage that occurred in the company but were prevented from entering the gate by staff of the company.
It took several hours and enough pressure before they could gain access into the premises of the company for the inspection. The State government intended to shut down the company.
Mr. Price Obi the son of the Eze Oba of Ogbaland HRM Chukwumela Nnam Obi the II, who led a team of representatives of the cooperation, apologized during a visit to the Rivers State Commissioner for Environment Dr. Nyema Weli.
Mr. Obi posited that sixty percent of the company’s share capitals belongs to the government stressing that it does not intend to cover up any environmental pollution that will affect the people of the state.
He specifically requested the Hon. Commissioner for Environment to convey the apologies of the company to his Excellency the Governor of Rivers State. Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi assuring that it will never be repeated.
The State Commissioner for Environment Dr. Nyema Weli had earlier frowned at what he described as lack of respect by the cooperation to the government.
According to him, what happened on Thursday August 23, 2012 would have been averted if the company had cooperated with his staff.
Dr. Weli reiterated government determination to protect the environment and called in Agip Company staff to participate on the clean up waste disposal greening and tree planting policies of government.
He further told the team that the government was amending her pollution law, stressing that it has no interest to disrupt the company’s operation in the state.
In his speech the Permanent Secretary of the ministry Dr. George C. Nweke berated Agip Oil Company for not always reporting spill to the ministry on time.
The Permanent Secretary refused to accept that the spill was a sabotage, stressing that despite the non-cooperative attitude of the company, Ministry of Environment possesses qualified manpower and equipment to carry out its functions. ####
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
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