…Targets December for gas capture commencement
Constance Meju, Port Harcourt
Efforts to gain respite from the harsh effects of hosting gas flaring in Gelegele Community appears to be yielding result. After advocacy visits and petition to the Governor of Edo State and key ministries in the state against Dubril Oil Company operations in Gelegele Community highlighting the negative impacts of its operations on the environment and health of the women in the community by a non-governmental organisation, Gbolekekro Women Empowerment and Development Organization, GWEDO, a stakeholders meeting was held with leaders from the impacted community, community women, representatives of the oil company, the Edo State Governor’s representatives, and the media, to deliberate on the issues raised with the objective of proffering possible solutions, especially to the negative gas flare impact on the health and livelihood of the women.
GWEDO’s research on climate change and the impact of gas flaring on the health of the women was presented to Hon Joshua Omokhodion, the commissioner for Environment and Sustainability and the Climate Change director of the ministry, Mr. Kenneth Woghuuien, and representative of the governor. The report revealed that oil activities, especially, the gas flaring has negatively impacted the health and livelihood of the women, children and community members whereas the community lacks basic amenities like clean water and a functional health facility which has worsened their condition.
After watching the report and listening to Gelegele women tell their stories, the governor’s representatives and policy makers of Edo State asked Dubril Oil Company Ltd. to capture and liquefy the gas being flared in the midst of the community with now available modern technology.
A timeline was agreed on between the representative of the oil company and the governor’s representatives for proper mitigation process. The mitigation process will capture the gas with modern technology to liquefy or domesticate the gas to benefit the women. Dubril Oil Company accepted to commence the remediation process towards December 2024 and also agreed to an immediate reduction of the intensity of the gas flared (flaming fire) as a way of gradually working towards zero emission.
Dubril was also asked to address the issue of clean water supply there as part of its corporate social responsibility.
Present at the stakeholder’s meeting were, Mr Lucky Ereba Eyenmi, Gelegele Community chairman, Mr James Apohi, Community Secretary, Chief Ayiwe Macaulay, Community spokesman, and Bishop Godwin Soroaye, former chairman and contractor representative. Others were, Mrs Justina Kororo, Gelegele Women Leader, Mrs. Doris Obi, Women secretary and Rev Barbs Pawuru, Host Community chairman. Dubril Oil Company Limited was represented by Mrs Esohe Aimokhai (Human Relations) and Mr. Bika Adulrouf, the principal engineer. On the government side were Hon Joshua Omokhodion, the state commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Mr Kenneth I Woghuien, director Climate Change and the representative of the governor, Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki of the Enforcement department of the Ministry of environment, among others.
Community members have confirmed noticeable reduction in the intensity of heat from the gas flare after the meeting, a fact also confirmed by GWEDO executive director, Comrade Cynthia Bright who commended Governor Obaseki for sending representatives to the meeting.
“The presence of representatives from the governor’s office strengthened our campaign for action to save Gelegele. We are particularly grateful to the commissioner for Environment and Sustainability and the Climate Change director for the strong support to GWEDO which made the stakeholders meeting both possible and fruitful. Without their help our efforts would have been in vain,” she stated.
She also thanked Urgent Action Fund for supporting the project.
