There is panic in Edagberi (Joinkrama 4) in Rivers State following the laying of a new gas pipeline through the community by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC).
Edagberi, located in Ahoada-West Local Government Area of Rivers State shares boundaries with some communities in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, especially the Biseni and Okordia clans.
The new gas pipeline connects from the SPDC’s Adibawa Well 19 to its flow station, and it is not clear if an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out before the pipeline laying the project commenced.
A field report by the Environmental Rights Action/Freinds of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), stated that the new gas pipeline “is very close residential buildings” in the community.
The report, which was made available to DAILY INDEPENDENT at the weekend by Alagoa Morris, head of ERA/FoEN’ s office in Bayelsa, quoted some concerned members of Edagberi as expressing fear over the danger, the new gas pipeline poses to their lives and property.
The community people dismissed claims that the gas pipeline was being laid on the right of way of the SPDC.
“This is not a proposed water pipeline. It is gas that will run through the pipeline they (SPDC) are laying here and I don’t like it at all”, a 72-year-old landlady, Ada Fyneman said.
She complained that the gas pipeline was passing through her house which she built in 1980, stressing that time for her passing on had yet to come.
Ada said, “I have complained to fellow community folks including Elder Jonah Josiah. I am concerned and what I am thinking is that they (Shell) should build another house for me and relocate me if their gas pipeline must pass through here.
“It is too close to my house. It is not yet time for me to die; gas is dangerous. I don’t know when the gas pipeline might rupture (or explode) if allowed to pass here. That is my fear and concern’’.
Ambrose Osuolo, a former member of the Edagberi Community Development Committee (CDC), also lamented the development, saying anxiety had risen among the people of the community.
He said, “Due to a lot of buildings on this line (right side as you approach the community from Mbiama), they have diverted the pipeline, crossing the road to the other side.”
“Even the side they have diverted to, there are lots of buildings. The distance between the pipeline and buildings is not up to five meters, so owners of the buildings are all scared. They (Shell) had already surveyed the bush where to route this pipeline in the past; a virgin bush.
“But we don’t understand what happened that they are now passing the gas pipeline through the community; maybe community politics.”
He called on the government and well-meaning organisations and individuals to prevail on the oil company to “re-route the pipeline or relocate owners of buildings so close to the pipeline because it is a gas line and it can cause death any day”.
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