OJUIMOLE OIL WELL FIRE OUTBREAK: ODSG MOVES TO PROFFER SOLUTION.

Plans are underway to proffer lasting solution to the fire outbreak at Ojumole oil well in Ilaje Local Government area which has been burning for over thirty five days.

To this end, the Ondo State Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Has mandated the Ministry of Environment to begin Pollution assessment of the affected Communities.

The Governor stated this during a stakeholder meeting with Chevron, Ministry of Environment and Communities representatives in Akure the State Capital.

The Commissioner for Environment Mr. Funso Esan said the Ministry would not relent in its effort in ensuring that Chevron Nigeria Limited do the needful to put off the fire.

According to him, the Ministry has gone on spot assessment of the area to know extent of damage and mitigation measures.

In the meantime, the Ondo State House of Assembly has summoned Chevron Nigeria Limited also to compel the Company put off the fire for the safety of people living in the affected Communities.

At the public hearing comprising of Chevron, Ministry of Environment and representatives of Communities affected by the inferno, the state lawmakers pleaded with Chevron to focus mostly on the safety of the people and plan towards cushioning the after effect of the fire.

Spokesman for the affected Communities Dr. Akin Akinruntan who spoke extensively on the health hazard already incurred by people in the area stated their demands for Chevron to relocate the people of Ojumole, put off the fire as soon as possible, clean up the area without delay and pay them compensation to the tune of 2.5billion dollars.

Chevron representative who is also the General Manager Policy Government and Public Affairs Africa Business Unit Mr. Esimaje Brikinn who said experts have been flown from the United States to kill the well promised that the Company would meet with leaders of the Communities for necessary actions.

Report says the facilities at Ojumole have been inactive since the Ijaw/Ilaje crisis in 1998 and every attempt to make Chevron re-open and secure the facilities has not been successful. This has made the area vulnerable to oil bunkering activities thereby resulting into oil spillages.