Reps Urge Action on Bille Community Gas Seepage

The House of Representatives Committee on South-South Development Commission, led by Chairman Julius Pondi, has demanded urgent action to resolve the ongoing gas seepage in Bille community, Rivers State. This issue has persisted for approximately nine months, raising serious health, safety, and environmental concerns, as well as imposing significant economic hardship on the local population.

During an urgent stakeholders’ engagement held on Thursday in Abuja, the committee also addressed an oil spill affecting the Odidi Federated Community in Delta State. Dr. Yusuf Rigasa, a Director from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), confirmed the detection of multiple gases, including hydrogen sulphide, methane, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide in the Bille community incident.

Investigations revealed “multi-point subsurface gas bubbling” at several locations, highlighting the urgency of remedial actions required to mitigate the situation.