A meeting of the House of Representatives Environment committee on Wednesday almost degenerated to a violent confrontation between a former senator who now works for an oil company, and a serving member of the House.
The session attended by lawmakers and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) was held to address concerns over the fire outbreak incident on Chevron’s facility in the Niger Delta.
The Director-General/Chief Executive of National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Peter Idabor, insisted that Chevron must pay an administrative fine of $3bn to the federal government for the environmental damage.
Idabor told the committee that the Agency has investigated the incident and proven that the fire was caused by equipment failure. Chevron, he said, is to take responsibility for the millions of cubic feet of gas blown into the air.
The committee backed the regulatory agency’s position that Chevron should pay a $3 billion administrative charge to the federal government for the explosion at Chevron’s drilling rig, K.S Endeavour and the subsequent fire outbreak in Funiwa Exploration Field in Sangana, Bayelsa State on January 16, 2012.
Chevron, speaking mainly through former senator Gbenga Aluko who is now the Director of Governmental Affairs for the company, argued that responsibility had not been established against it.
Aluko objected to the $3bn dollar proposed fine, insisting that that Chevron is willing and able to pay compensation, but that it must be only on scientific basis.
“If you talk about compensation, we are ready. We have already spent over a N100 million on providing food and drugs for the affected communities, but whatever we pay must be based on scientific findings and not a figure plucked from the air,” he said.
Aluko said the company had already done a lot for the communities affected, sparking harsh responses from members of the committee.
He then alleged that Robinson Uwak, a member of the committee, had not been fair to Chevron during the session, and after the meeting, approached the representative to explain some of the company’s positions.
But the gesture soon became almost violent after Uwak turned it down.
“You are very disrespectful,” the Senator told Uwak, “I am not your age mate and I have been a senior member of this National Assembly.”
Uwak responded: “You people think because you are being paid fat salaries, you can come here and intimidate us? Get away!”
An infuriated Aluko rushed in Uwak’s direction but was stopped by Uche Ekwunife, the committee chair.
