Hon. Oseke calls for urgent action in Koluama community for fear of being submerged by ocean

The Vice Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Hon. Preye Influence Goodluck Oseke has called on the government and oil companies to urgently address the surge in the coastal communities of Koluama I and Koluama II in Bayelsa State.

He stated that if nothing serious is done, the entire communities will be submerged by the Atlantic Ocean.
Hon. Oseke who is representing Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State was speaking with our Correspondent in an interview on Tuesday shortly after the plenary.
The Lawmaker said the two communities are at the risk of being washed away by the Atlantic Ocean which has eaten up a substantial part of the land separating the communities and the ocean.
He said in about 5 to 10 years, if nothing is done the two communities will go into extinct while the investment by the federal government in the area will be lost.
Hon. Oseke said the ocean in some years ago had washed away parts of the community forcing the inhabitants to relocate to where they are now.
Oseke who had earlier presented a motion at the floor of the House of Representatives praying the House to mandate the relevant government agencies and oil companies to take urgent step to address the challenge, said the communities have been consistently contributing to the mainstay of Nigerian economy since 1963 when American Overseas Petroleum Ltd (now Texaco Overseas, Nigeria) discovered oil at the Koluama field.
“The Federal Fishery Ocean Terminal that was located in the area in the 1970s had since been washed away by the sea just like the original Koluama settlement that suffered same fate in 1953, thus leading to separation of families.
The Chevron and other multinational oil companies have repeatedly refused to provide commensurate corporate social responsibilities to ameliorate the environmental hazards being suffered by the communities and in particular, Chevron’s wilful refusal to pay compensation for damages arising from a 2012 gas explosion, coupled with the abject poverty in the communities, portends danger for the affected communities.
“The ocean surge is an impending humanitarian and environmental disaster that can be averted if urgent proactive steps are taken to check the surge”, hon. Oseke stated.
Following his prayer, the House urged Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs as well as multinational oil companies operating in the area such as Chevron Nigeria Ltd to intervene in order to avert the looming danger, in addition to displaying commensurate corporate social responsibilities.
The House mandated its committees on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to initiate a comprehensive environmental study of the impacted areas as well as providing shoreline protection and embankment at the Koluama communities form Digestoru River estuary on the West to Sangaana River in the East bordering Southern Ijaw and Brass Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State.
The House also mandated its committee on Evironment to send a team of environemtal experts and recommend immediate remedial actions to contain the menace of ocean surge on the communities.