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Alert!! - Gas pipeline failure and Leakage in Akwa Ibom |
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Friday, 07 September 2007 |
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Location: Odoro Ikot, Ukanafun LGA, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Incident: Gas Pipeline failure and massive Gas Leakage
Company: Nigerian Gas Company
Alert Date: 7 September 2007
INTRODUCTION
One of the gas pipelines installed by Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) at Odoro Ikot in Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria passes through this community's only source of drinking water. The pipeline failed two months ago (sometime in July 2007), according to Hon Okon Uwah. “Not four days ago!” he emphasized. Odoro Ikot is a border town with Oruk Anam LGA also of Akwa Ibom State.
COMMUNITY ACTIONS
The incident has been reported to the relevant agencies of the Akwa Ibom State Government and the NGC. As has become routine, the State’s Commissioner for Environment has visited the affected communities and has made promises. So far there has been no action.
The village head of Odoro Ikot, Chief Sunday Udo Ukpong, said the community people now boil the polluted water to remove the gas before they drink attempt to drink it. This is folk wisdom with no scientific basis to confirm the safety status of the polluted water.
He has called on the government to provide borehole water to avoid epidemic. There is no response to this demand.
According to Chief Ukpong some men who claim to be staff of NGC were spotted at the site, but when the villagers asked them to meet with the village council the so-called officials took to their heels and left the community.
A DISASTER ZONE
A member representing Ukanafun in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Okon Uwah, who incidentally is also Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum, has called on State Government to declare Ukanafun and Oruk Anam Local Government Areas as disaster areas.
STRANGE DISEASES
The Community Development Committee Chairman, Comrade Friday Peter Jumbo said they have started noticing strange ailments in the community- like rashes, diarrhea, etc.
What you can do
- Send a letter to your legislator (Local Government, State and National) to call on the Nigerian Gas Company to immediately stop the gas leakage and detoxify the communities.
- Call on the Akwa Ibom State government to urgently provide the communities with alternative potable water ands to clean up the polluted stream.
- Write to NGC to adequately compensate the community and the people for the havoc wreck on their environment and means of livelihood.
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