The government of Bayelsa State has expressed concern over the health hazards facing the people living across the coast of Apoi to Sangana in the recent fire incident which occurred at the Apoi Chevron platform off the coast of Koluama in Southern Ijaw Local Government area. Government expressed this through its Commissioner for Environment Chief Robert Enogha. Chief Enogha addressed representatives of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Koluama, Foropa, Ezetu and Ekeni communities directly impacted by the incident.
The Commissioner charged Chevron to immediately halt the gas pressure which is still burning to reduce the negative effect on the environment. He emphasized that the people living near the coast of Koluama community were facing serious environmental hazards and must be evacuated from the area while medical requirements and relief materials be made available to cushion the effects of the damage since five days ago when the platform exploded .
The Environmental Commissioner berated the oil company for treating government and its host communities with disrespect, pointing out that the Ministry would do everything within the law to reverse the trend. He noted that such double standard and negligence were not experienced in the United States of America and other countries when similar incidents occurred adding that such attitude was against fundamental human right principle and queried the absence of Bayelsans in some of the oil platforms as employees.
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