Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has assured the people of Uzere Kingdom in Isoko South Local Government Area of his administration’s commitment to protecting their welfare and ensuring that Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL) fulfils its obligations to communities affected by the recent oil spill.
The governor gave the assurance on Friday during an on-the-spot assessment of the affected locations in Uzere, where he inspected the extent of the environmental damage and engaged community representatives and officials of the operating oil company on the incident and ongoing response efforts.
Oborevwori explained that although his administration had been receiving updates on the situation in Uzere and other affected areas, including Odidi, through government officials, community leaders and other stakeholders, he considered a personal visit necessary to obtain first-hand information and determine the appropriate government response.
Recalling the intervention following a similar incident in Odidi, where more than 100 medical personnel were deployed to provide healthcare services to affected residents, the governor promised a comparable medical outreach for Uzere.
He consequently directed the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, to coordinate the medical intervention, including comprehensive examinations to ascertain possible health consequences of the incident. He said the exercise would also extend to residents of Uzere town.
The governor disclosed that the state government had engaged Heritage Energy over the incident and received explanations concerning the company’s emergency response and containment measures.
He noted that the company had commenced preliminary engagements with the host communities before embarking on containment and cleanup operations, expressing satisfaction that work was already underway.
Oborevwori, however, stressed that containment and cleanup alone would not be sufficient, insisting that appropriate environmental remediation must follow to address the damage caused by the spill.
He charged Heritage Energy to maintain constructive engagement with the affected communities, listen to their concerns and ensure that their legitimate demands received adequate attention.
The governor also appealed to residents not to mistake the time required to resolve some of their complaints for government indifference, explaining that established procedures must be followed to achieve lasting and fair outcomes.
“Delay is not denial. There are procedures and processes, and that is the reason for any delay. I am here with the Commissioners for Oil and Gas, Environment and Youth Development, Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, to see things for ourselves, meet with the host community and engage with the company,” he said.
He commended the people of Uzere for maintaining peace despite their grievances, emphasising that dialogue and constructive engagement remained essential to resolving disputes between oil companies and their host communities.
Oborevwori reiterated his administration’s readiness to support the communities in securing a fair resolution and urged the operating company to demonstrate greater responsibility towards the welfare of the people.
Earlier, the Manager, Government and Community Relations of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, Dr. Jeremiah Oharisi, explained that the company received information about a gas build-up at the affected well on June 27.
He disclosed that the well had two production strings, identified as Lima and Syria, which were shut down in 2019 and 2023, respectively, leaving the facility inactive before the incident occurred.
According to him, gas accumulated within the reservoir and eventually forced its way to the surface, resulting in bubbling and the escape of some crude oil.
Oharisi said the company immediately activated its emergency response procedures, which included securing the affected area, sensitising the host community, evacuating residents from the vicinity and deploying fire trucks.
He added that efforts were subsequently initiated to contain the situation and recover the escaping crude oil.
However, the President-General of Uzere Kingdom, Chief Edward Onyagbodor, expressed dissatisfaction with the level of assistance provided by the company, lamenting that its intervention had largely been restricted to palliatives estimated at between N10.2 million and N10.6 million.
Similarly, a former President-General of the Isoko Development Union, Chief Iduh Amadhe, appealed to the governor to prevail on Heritage Energy to show greater commitment to the welfare and environmental wellbeing of its host communities.
Amadhe disclosed that OML 30, operated by Heritage Energy, has 112 host communities, comprising 89 Urhobo, 13 Isoko, six Ijaw and four Itsekiri communities, underscoring the extensive number of communities with interests in the operations of the oil asset.
