There was palpable fear in the Ebekpi community of Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Saturday morning as a gas wellhead operated by Savannah Energy Limited erupted.
Africa Daily News, New York gathered that the gas leakage ran for over five hours, making residents of the community and adjoining communities scamper for safety while workers of the company, including some white expatriates, were seen hanging around the site looking confused.
A fire service vehicle was seen parked around the company in case of any eventuality.
The Village Head of Ebekpi, Chief Ama Bassey Joseph, who spoke with newsmen that visited the site decried the environmental hazards the eruption must have caused.
He, therefore, urged relevant authorities to intervene by checking the level of environmental damages caused by the leakage for compensation if possible.
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However, the youths of the community who lamented the health hazards caused by the gas eruption, barricaded the company in anger, waiting for the management of Savannah Energy Limited to explain to them what happened.
‘We are concerned about the health safety of our people. Our air, the environment is polluted due to all these activities. We want the management of Savannah Energy Limited to come and explain to us what happened,’ the youths said.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the company was doing a wellhead test but did not inform the community about it.
A source said, ‘the only thing is that the company was doing a wellhead test. They made the mistake of not informing host communities of the impending test run.’
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
