From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

The Member Representing Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Rodney Ambaiowei has appealed to host communities to protect oil and gas infrastructures in their areas.

Ambaiowei made the appeal in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital while handing over relief materials to four communities; Olugboboro,Olugbobiri, Tebitaba and Okonriama  recently impacted by oil spillage along the Tebitaba/Ogoinbiri pipeline to alleviate the sufferings of the people.

He said the need for host communities to protect oil facilities stems from the fact that oil is the mainstay of the economy.

“I want to advise my constituent, please endeavour as much as you can to protect the pipelines, because the more we protect the pipelines for spillage not to occur, more money will come to the coffers of the federal government.

He also   urged community leaders to enlighten their people not to   destroy pipelines in their domains.

Ambaiowei stated that the palliatives being shared would ameliorate the suffering of the communities “for people   that their means of livelihoods have been denied, these relief materials would be useful to them “.

Ambaiowei also tasked community leaders to share the palliatives equitably to all households in the affected communities.

He used the opportunity to commend the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and the management of the agency for their prompt response to the plight of the communities.

Earlier, the Zonal Coordinator NEMA, South-South Port -Harcourt, Adebiyi Razaq said when NEMA received the report of the spillage, the agency went into action immediately, visited the site of the spill and saw the devastation, noting that since the people’s livelihoods had been adversely affected, there was need for intervention to offer succour to them.

Razaq also appealed to the communities to be on the alert and inform appropriate authorities swiftly whenever there is a crisis.

Also speaking , the Director of information and ICT in the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the representative of Southern Ijaw LGA in the board of SEMA, Dr .Simeon Ayogo lamented that the entire livelihood of the four communities were gravely impacted by the spill.

Dr. Ayogo promised that the agency would ensure that the relief materials are delivered to the beneficiaries.

A community leader and the Technical Adviser, to the governor on federal projects and programmes coordination  Basil Kenbo who spoke on behalf of the four communities said since Agip began to explore crude oil in the area over  fifty years, this is the first time relief materials have been given to the communities as a result of oil spillage.

Kenbo assured that every household would benefit from the largesse irrespective of political affiliation.

He said the communities are happy and would remain ever grateful to Ambaiowei for facilitating the process that led to this and also thanked SEMA and NEMA for hearing the cries of the communities.

Items provided for the four affected communities include; garri, rice, spaghetti, vegetable oil, tomato paste, iodised salt, 3 in 1 beverages, plastic buckets, blankets, mosquito nets, toilet soap, detergent and seasoned cubes.