Breaking : Another pipeline disaster looms in more Abia communities , Senator Orji cries out
. NNPC, NDDC to be held responsible – locals
By Steve Oko
Barely two weeks after a tragic pipeline explosion claimed nearly 200 lives in Umuimo and Umuaduru communities both in Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State, another disaster is looming in Umunwanwa and Ngodo communities in Umuahia South LGA .
The imminent danger is as a result of the worsening erosion menace in the area which exposed two pipelines that passed through the communities to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot at Emene Enugu State.


Both pipelines have been exposed to the surface by erosion menace which the people attributed to an abandoned road project by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Lamenting their ordeal when the Senator representing Abia Central zone, Senator Theodore Orji visited them yesterday following a distress call the people appealed to NNPC to take an immediate proactive measure to prevent the Osisioma ugly experience.

Spokesman of the communities and former Chairman of Umuahia South LGA, Mr. Jerry Uzosike, told Senator Orji that erosion menace had been on the increase in the communities ever since NDDC abandoned the road project after excavation works.
According to him the volume of flood waters increased tremendously following the inability of NDDC to complete the water drainage on the road which was abandoned few meters after commencement.
Adding his voice, a community leader, Chief Emenike Onuoha said the communities had alerted the NNPC of the danger posed by the exposed pipelines but expressed sadness that no action had been taken by the corporation to avert the looming disaster.
He said NNPC and NDDC should be held responsible should there be any explosion in the area.
” This road which connects Umuahia with Mbaise, and a shorter route to Owerri airport was abandoned several years ago. Ever since then erosion activities have worsened because the water drainage is not properly channeled.
” Erosion exposed the pipelines and we have written to NNPC but they don’t want to take any action. When there is explosion now they will say our youths have vandalised the pipelines.
He appealed to Senator Orji to use his privileged position to prevail on both NNPC and NDDC to do the needful to save the communities from avoidable disaster.
Responding, Senator Orji described the situation as ” danger waiting to explode ” except a quick action is taken to avert it.
The former Governor said the state was yet to recover from the devastations of the pipeline explosion in Osisioma, and could not afford to record similar ugly incident.
He urged NNPC not to shy away from its responsibility of safeguarding its facilities and to ensure such facilities don’t pose threat to lives of people in host communities.
Senator Orji however appealed to youths in the area to stay away from the exposed pipelines and resist any temptation to scoop products in the eventuality of any leakage to avoid the Osisioma episode.
He also urged NDDC to resume work on the abandoned ‘only access’ road to the communities as that would help reduce the worsening erosion menace in the area.
Orji lamented the grave danger and threat posed by erosion in the area.
The former Governor appealed to the communities to remain calm while he gets the attention of the necessary Government agencies to address their challenges.
End
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