AKWA Ibom State government has commenced investigations into an alleged fresh oil spill from Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) facility in Qua Iboe Terminal (QIT), Ibeno.

Last week, the government delegation from the Ministry of Environment, led by a director in the ministry, Mr Joe Okon, arrived Ibeno and had meetings with the local government officials, the community, MPN officials and visited the shorelines of the Ibeno Beach.

On Tuesday last week, over 200 youths had gathered at the beach alleging another oil spill, which they said, was impacting on aquatic life. A youth activist in Ibeno, Mr Sammy James said: "At the jetty, you can see some samples of the lump or spill dumped in some areas but Mobil is denying".

However a prominent community leader in Ibeno, Mr William Mkpa William, in an interview with some newsmen at the beach said "what has happened today is not a fresh spill, but there was a spill in March and Mobil denied, saying it was sheen".

He added: "What has been seen at the beach and the jetty today is the impact of the spill in March that went to the floor of the Ocean and now, after two to three months, its now coming up as a lump through or due to routine ocean dynamics that dig the settled oil up onshore for people to see".

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Women in the community, who on Monday, protested the first time interruption in the free power supply from MPN to the Mkpanak community in 10 years, told the visiting government team that they needed compensations on oil spill, rusty roof tops, cracked buildings due to earth turmoil and others.

But MPN maintained that there was no spill on any of their facilities as the Executive Director, External Affairs of Mobil, Mrs Gloria Essien Danna, in a reaction said: "We confirmed there were tarballs sighted on the shoreline around Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State and the source of the tarballs is being investigated".

She added: "MPN restates its commitment to maintaining safe and environmentally sound operations".

MPN management in QIT noted that for over 10 years, the company had given free uninterrupted electricity to its host community of Mkpanak, in Ibeno, until last week when the turbine developed some problems. "But this has since been resolved and there is light."

An official of MPN who claimed to be speaking at the instance of Mrs Rita Umoren, MPN Manager Public Affairs, said that the power outrage was not a deliberate disconnection of the communities from the power source as wrongly claimed by certain persons.

The MPN representative claimed that the unexpected disruption of electricity supply from the company's turbines has equally affected the business operations of MPN and affirmed that electricity supply has since been restored.

Besides, "MPN, as part of its social responsibility, has provided good roads, school buildings to SS Peter and Paul Secondary School and for 15 years running, it has given 25 percent salary subvention to all health workers, nursery schools and teachers in Mkpanak. Buses also carry Mkpanak children to and from school free."

However, the fact finding committee, after series of meetings with parties involved, collected samples of the alleged spill for further scientific investigation, before making any categorical comments on the matter.

The committee appealed to the Ibeno people to remain calm and peaceful while the government takes steps to address the issues in question.

 

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