The Delta State Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Hon (Chief) Peter Uviejitobor, on Tuesday led a government delegation to the scene of the recent oil spill at OML 30 operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, HEOSL, in Uzere Kingdom, Isoko South Local Government Area.
The visit was to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the impact of the spill and to reassure the people of Uzere Kingdom of the State Government’s commitment to their safety, health, and environmental well-being.
Addressing community leaders, youths, and residents who gathered at the spill site, Hon. Uviejitobor urged calm, noting that the government was already working with the operator and relevant regulatory agencies to contain the incident and limit its damage.
“I want to appeal to our people in Uzere Kingdom to remain calm. The Delta State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, is on top of the situation. We are working closely with Heritage Energy and all relevant regulatory agencies to ensure that the spill is contained and the environment is remediated”, the Commissioner said.
The former Lawmaker explained that preliminary findings indicated that the spill was reported promptly and that emergency response teams were already deployed to the area to reduce stop further leakage of the spill.
Hon Uviejitobor emphasized that the Oborevwori administration places a high premium on the welfare of host communities and the protection of the Niger Delta environment.
He assured that the government would not abdicate its responsibility of ensuring that oil companies operating in the state adhere strictly to global best practices in exploration and production.
“His Excellency is very concerned about the plight of our people. No community will be left to suffer the consequences of oil operations alone. We will ensure that HEOSL and the regulators do the right thing to proper containment, clean-up, and compensation where necessary”, he stated.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the Ministry of Oil and Gas, in conjunction with NOSDRA, DPR, and the Delta State Ministry of Environment, will activated its incident response mechanism to monitor the situation and document the extent of the impact on farmlands, water sources, and aquatic life.
Representatives of Uzere Kingdom at the site expressed appreciation to the State Government for its swift response.
