Bayelsa State Government has directed the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to clean up over 1,000 spill sites in the state before December 31.
The ultimatum is contained in a letter issued to the management of NAOC on Monday in Yenagoa.
The state government frowned at the poor spill response by the oil firm.
The letter dated September 18 and signed by the State’s Commissioner for Environment, Mr Iniruo Wills, said that less than 20 out of over 800 spills that occurred in 2014 were remediated and cleaned.
Wills said that the government was dismayed by the alarming frequency of spills from oil fields operated by Agip in Bayelsa State without tangible efforts to lessen the effects on the environment.
The Commissioner observed that out of the over 200 spills incidents so far recorded in 2015, nothing has been done to clean and remediate the sites as stipulated by existing environmental laws.
“We have noted with dismay the alarming number of oil spills in Bayelsa State, with no commensurate efforts to clean them up and restore the affected environment and communities.
“In 2014 alone, well over eight hundred spills occurred in the land and swamp areas of your operations.
“Yet, dismal figure of less than 20 sites were certified to have been cleaned, from our records.
“Over 200 spills have been recorded this year, just from your facilities in the swamp area within the State.
“Again, there seems to be no commitment or systematic plan on your part to clean up these sites, thus worsening the dehumanising environmental status. That cannot be tolerated anywhere in the world.
“We, therefore, request your organisation/group to immediately initiate action in ensuring that all oil impacted sites in Bayelsa State, are satisfactorily cleaned up before Dec. 31, 2015,’’ the letter read.
The state government further requested Agip to come up with a cleanup plan and submit same to the state’s Ministry of Environment before Oct. 30.
“The Ministry intends to enforce this in collaboration with other stakeholders and regulatory authorities.
“This is in furtherance of the Bayelsa State Government’s zero-pollution target and overall sustainable development plan for the State.’’
The spokesman at ENI, the parent company of NAOC, Mr Filipo Cotalini, said in an email on Monday that the company would respond in due course.
