Tension as Rivers Assembly begins tough probe in the state

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow

The Rivers State House of Assembly has started looking into allegations that Renaissance Africa Energy corporation Limited, an oil corporation, disregarded a spill that had a negative impact on the B-Dere village in Gokana Local Government Area.

The neighborhood petitioned the House about the company’s alleged neglect through Hamilton Odom & Co., its estate surveyors and valuers. The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, forwarded the petition, which was signed by ESV Hamilton Odom, to the House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions, which is chaired by Hon. Enemi Alabo George. The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Dumle Maol, presented the petition.

The petition states that the incident occurred along the 24 Ogale-Bomu pipeline on May 7, 2025.

Equipment failure was the cause of the spill, according to a joint inquiry by the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and representatives of the impacted community.

“The spill destroyed our vegetation, killed plants, and polluted underground water. It also disrupted farming and other economic activities, causing loss of income and psychological distress,” the petition stated.

The community said that Renaissance Africa Energy had neither cleaned up the damaged area or made any kind of payment in spite of the harm.

“What worries us most is the silence of the company after our initial meeting to agree on compensation ended without progress,” the petitioners added.

They pleaded with the lawmakers to hold the business accountable for the harm done to the environment, guarantee compensation for the impacted citizens, and advocate for a thorough cleanup and restoration of the land and water.

In response, Hon. Enemi Alabo George, the chairman of the House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions, promised that the petition would be handled promptly and that the committee will make every effort to guarantee justice for the community.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.