š¢ House Committee Chairman on ISOPADEC, Oil And Gas, and Member Representing Ohaji/Egbema State Constituency in the IMHA, Hon Dr Francis Uzoma Osuoha reacts
In Imo state Nigeria, Pipeline vandalism and explosion have continued to destroy lives and properties in the oil rich regions just like Ohaji Egbema and itās environs were seriously hit with such a sad story that recorded wasted lives and properties in the area.
The recent explosion raised a lot of attention that prompted the people of the area as a matter of urgency staged a peaceful protest calling on heavy surveillance and pipeline rights of way to avert more dangers ahead of time.
On this therefore, the House Committee Chairman on ISOPADEC, Oil And Gas, and Member Representing Ohaji/Egbema State Constituency in the Imo State House Of Assembly, Hon Dr Francis Uzoma Osuoha has condemned the pipeline vandalisation and explosion in the Ohaji area of the local government, which led to the loss of many lives as 9News Nigeria reports.
Dr Osuoha who visited the site of the explosion in Obitti community of Ohaji, to ascertain the extent of damage, expressed regret over the loss of lives resulting from the explosion.
While commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives, he called for effective surveillance on Oil pipelines right of way along Obitti, Ihi, Umuapu and Awara communities, to forestall further occurrence.
The ISOPADEC Boss has seriously alerted relevant agencies of government on vigilance and collective efforts to protect the communities from vandals who are causing the economic sabotage.
Dr Osuoha further cautioned the youths in the area against getting involved in criminal activities, such as pipeline vandalisation, illegal bunkering and impending crisis in the area.
Our correspondent reports that Illegal oil bunkering activities have continued to go on in Obitti, Ihi, Umuapu and Awara communities of Ohaji/Egbema local government area, despite efforts of government to put a stop to it.
Our investigation reveals that concerned persons from these communities have severally cried out to oil companies in the area to guide the oil pipelines right of way.
Our reliable source close to the pipeline service sites told us that the recent explosion occured due to holes dug by vandals in the pipeline right of way, in an attempt to siphon oil into standby petroleum tanker.
The committee head in the IMHA however acknowledged the impact of the explosion on the affected communities whose main source of living is farming, wherein several acres of farmlands were affected.
An immediate action is highly needed to regulate security and surveillance along the pipeline ways in the state at large because continued negligence to this will likely lead to more drastic damages.
-Princely Onyenwe reporting
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