Host Communities Producing Oil, Gas and Pipeline Impacted States Youth Council of Nigeria (HOSTCON Youth Council of Nigeria), has insisted that the recent fire outbreak at Buguma wellhead 008 operated by the NNPCL/SPDC Joint Venture (JV) in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State could have been avoided.
The statement, signed by Comrade Fiawei E. Pathfinder, President of HOSTCON Youth Council of Nigeria, unequivocally blamed the NNPCL/SPDC JV for negligence, noting that vandals may have taken advantage of this negligence, leading to the devastating fire incident.
He explained that the fire, which has thrown the entire Buguma and its environs into a terrible state, highlights the need for regular maintenance of pipelines and oil infrastructure, especially those situated in the salty swamp water of the region. These facilities, he noted, have been left for decades without proper checks and are now vulnerable to the elements in the ecosystem.
In an emergency meeting convened to address this unfortunate incident, the President, alongside the national leadership and Board of Trustees (BoT) of HOSTCON Youth Council of Nigeria, condemned what they described as the “lackadaisical attitude” of the SPDC/NNPCL JV. The council expressed its pain and deep lamentation over the devastating fire and commiserated with the people of Buguma and its environs who have been severely impacted.
Negligence and Delayed Response
The statement further criticized the SPDC/NNPCL JV for their delayed response, noting that since the fire outbreak, no emergency response team had been deployed to the area. He emphasized that this inaction has exacerbated the suffering of the Buguma host community and neighboring areas, whose residents—mainly fishermen—can no longer engage in their livelihoods.
“We are pained that SPDC/NNPCL JV deliberately ignored the people of Buguma community and the entire Kalabari Kingdom, despite their significant contributions to Nigeria’s crude oil and gas production,” he said. He noted that this despicable attitude underscores the need for proper maintenance structures to monitor the state of oil pipelines, many of which have been in place for decades without regular checks or maintenance.
He also debunked claims that illegal bunkers were responsible for the fire, explaining that the negligence and decay of long-overdue oil infrastructure are the primary causes of the disaster.
Demands of HOSTCON Youth Council of Nigeria
The HOSTCON Youth Council of Nigeria has outlined the following demands:
Immediate Intervention: SPDC/NNPCL must take urgent steps to salvage the Buguma host community and its environs.
Construction of Infrastructure: Housing structures and healthcare facilities must be constructed for the Buguma host community and surrounding areas.
Panel of Inquiry: The Council calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, to set up a panel of inquiry comprising experts from the presidency, law enforcement, and the Federal Ministry of Justice to investigate the causes of the fire outbreak.
Accountability: Anyone found culpable should be adequately punished to serve as a deterrent to other International Oil Companies (IOCs).
Environmental Remediation: Proper remediation of the waterways and environment affected by the fire outbreak must be carried out.
Maintenance of Infrastructure: Urgent maintenance and replacement of decayed oil pipelines and facilities must be implemented.
Compensation: All affected members of the host communities must be adequately compensated by the NNPCL/SPDC JV.
Provision of Pipe-Borne Water: Clean and safe water must be provided for Buguma and other impacted communities.
Meanwhile the group also issued a warning, the HOSTCON Youth Council of Nigeria has stated that if these demands are not met, drastic measures will be taken after due consultations.
