8 October 2008
Akwa Ibom State branch of the Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria has demanded N824 million compensation for damages caused by the February 28 oil spill at Qua Iboe oil fields.
Mr. Samuel Ayadi, State Chairman of the association, told newsmen in Eket on Monday that the spill had polluted the waters and scared the fishes deeper into the Atlantic Ocean. He said that the compensation would cover damages and losses incurred by fishermen. He said that fishes could not breed at the creeks during the rainy season due to the effects of the oil spill which resulted to scarcity of fish.
'The incessant oil spills from the facilities of Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) in Ibeno threatens our means of livelihood. The waters where they operate is equally our farm, and each time there is a spill, we are thrown out of business for several months," he said. Ayadi said that the fishing community was not carried along by the oil firm in the assessment of the impact of the February 2008 oil spill on the environment.
"Usually after an oil spill, stakeholders including representatives of the host community, regulatory agencies and the oil company will conduct a joint inspection visit to access the impact but we were left behind. How then can the interest of fishermen who are the main victims be protected," Ayadi asked.He said that over 600 out the 6,000 members of the association were affected by the oil spill from the Idoho crude oil pipeline. National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency had traced the oil spill to a ruptured crude oil pipeline. Mobil Producing has commenced replacement of the pipeline which conveys crude oil from Idoho crude oil production platform to Qua Iboe tank farms in Ibeno, near Eket in Akwa Ibom state. ( NAN )
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