Governor Siminalayi Fubara has reassured residents of Bille Community in Degema Local Government Area that decisive steps are being taken to address the ongoing gas eruption affecting the area.
The governor gave the assurance during a high-level meeting in Port Harcourt with representatives of the Federal Government, leaders of the Bille community, and key players in the oil and gas industry. According to Fubara, the meeting focused on identifying the cause of the gas eruption and agreeing on practical measures to prevent a recurrence.
Fubara revealed that his administration had earlier visited the affected community alongside officials from the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and industry operators to assess the situation firsthand.
“The meeting is in respect of the situation in Bille. There is a case of gas leakage in the community, and the people have called on the government to come to their aid,” the governor said. “We have already inspected the site with relevant stakeholders, and today’s enlarged meeting brought everyone together to determine the cause of the problem and the most effective way to resolve it.”
Describing the discussions as productive, Fubara expressed confidence that the resolutions reached would translate into concrete action. He noted that the Bille delegation, led by traditional rulers, left the meeting satisfied, while representatives of the Federal Government and oil companies made commitments toward addressing the crisis.
“I can say that it was a very successful meeting because the Bille community, represented by their chiefs, are all smiling. It means the outcome of the meeting was a good one,” he added.
As part of the state’s response, the governor also announced plans to upgrade the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Bille to better address the health concerns arising from the gas eruption.
Leading the Federal Government delegation, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, commended Governor Fubara for his proactive efforts in responding to the incident. He stressed that contrary to public perception, the Federal Government had been working diligently since the incident was reported by deploying experts to investigate its cause.
Ekpo explained that the investigation had initially proved challenging because there were no known oil or gas facilities near the site of the eruption. However, he assured residents that investigations were ongoing and called for continued cooperation from the community.
“The safety of the people is our priority. We understand their fears and the risks posed by the situation, but the Federal Government remains committed to finding a lasting solution. Our responsibility is to protect the welfare and security of the people, and that is why we are here,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, pledged the commission’s full commitment to resolving the issue. She said the NUPRC, in collaboration with industry operators, would support the affected community by providing essential relief measures, including potable water and fire trucks, while efforts to determine the cause of the gas eruption continue.
