Nembe—Chiefs, elders, women, and youths of Opu Nembe Kingdom in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State yesterday protested the continuous leakage of the OML 29, Well 1, at Santa Barbara River operated by Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited.
According to inscriptions on their placards, the protest, held in Bassambiri, was a call for a stop to the leakage and the commencement of proper remediation and reparation.
The protesters also demanded that the management of Aiteo should ignore people who pose as mediators or representatives of the community for negotiations.
They also requested that representatives of the community must be approved by His Royal Majesty King Biobelemoye Josiah, Amanyanabo of Opu Nembe Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Mangrovepen.ng has gathered that the Nembe Local Government Chairman, Hon. West Alalibo has distributed some relief materials to some of the affected communities in the area.
Some of the relief materials include bags of rice, garri, cartons of noodles, cartons of fish, chicken, among others.
The chairman’s gesture was in fulfilment of an earlier promise he made when he visited the spillage site.
Alalibo, while speaking, thanked God for using him as a tool to help the people.
He also promised to do more to ameliorate the poor conditions of the people of Opu Nembe particularly those from the affected communities of the spillage.
A youth leader from one of the affected communities, Mr. Adeleye Dio, commended the council boss for coming to their aid in a trying time.
“We are so much proud of you for proving to us that, indeed it was the people that chose you, unlike some selfish politicians who are after their stomach infrastructure, but you are keenly focused on service delivery to the people, more especially in the grassroots,” Inara Debo, an indigene said.
