Reps Demand Urgent Action on Delta Oil Spill Crisis

The House of Representatives Committee on South-South Development Commission, led by Chairman Julius Pondi, has demanded immediate intervention to resolve a prolonged gas seepage in Bille community, Rivers State, and an oil spill affecting Odidi Federated Community in Delta State for over five months. During a stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja, Pondi emphasized the environmental and developmental challenges faced by oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta.

He noted that the gas seepage has persisted for about nine months without a clear solution, posing serious health and economic risks to residents. The committee expects comprehensive briefings from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and other relevant agencies regarding the incidents.

Dr. Yusuf Rigasa from NOSDRA confirmed the presence of hazardous gases in Bille, leading to the abandonment of a local school and affecting waterways and mangrove areas.