Residents raise the alarm over location of gas plant in residential estate
Segun Showunmi in Ibadan
Residents of Aerodrome Estate in Samonda, Ibadan have cried to the Oyo State Governor, Eng Seyi Makinde to save them from imminent danger over the establishment of a gas plant allegedly owned by Gasland Nigeria Limited within their residential estate.
Penpushing reports that, Vice Chairman, Aerodrome Estate Home Owners and Residents, Professor Mojisola Atalabi, while addressing journalists on Friday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital during a protest by the residents lamented that the risk and hazard associated with the gas plant within the residential estate is devastating and enomous considering their health and safety.
The vice chairman stated that despite a letter from Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) suspending work from the location of the gas plant,, work has resumed again, adding that the rate at which the construction was going on the place is suspicious.
Penpushing further reports that the residents urged the state governor to wade into the matter before it get out of hand, adding that as law abiding citizens of Nigeria, they have right to their lives.
“We have our hears on the ground, owner of the gas plant is boasting that we cannot do anything because he has money, connections and political backup. We wrote to the government, we protested, we went to DPR, we went to Ministry of lands, Ministry of Environment, and even Ministry of Energy, we were told that something will be done, but the next thing we see was resumption of work at the site, and they are working both days and night”, he stated
Penpushing also reports that a resident in the estate, Architect Akinkole Babalola who spoke on the technicality of the site said that government shouldn’t have giving approval for the gas plant because one of the guidelines of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in locating a gas plant, is that the location must passed a suitability test which Gasland has failed.
“We wrote letters and backed it up with documents to convince the government to know the illegality of the gas plant, and government has promised to do something about it, but till now nothing has been done on it.”
“We have sent a letter to Ministry of Physical Planning and also the DPR to know what has transpired and the outcome of their findings, and also to know the condition upon resumption of work in the site.”
Penpushing reports that Babalola however appealed to the state government to consider safety of lives of the residents above other any other things, saying that the gas plant is very dangerous to the residents.
Meanwhile, efforts to contacted the state government on the issue through the Chief Press Secetary to Governor Makinde, Taiwo Adisa proved abortive as calls put to him was not going through
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