Community Commends Total Oil for Tackling Fuel Leak

BABATUNDE SCOTT |

Residents of Akoka community in Lagos State have commended the Total service station in Akoka for its swift response in tackling and resolving an accidental fuel leakage which resulted in contamination of water sources of some houses in the area.

According to Segun Adesanya, Chairman, Akoka Community Development Association, the service station notified him about the fuel leakage immediately the incident occurred as well as the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

He stated that LASEPA directed Total to commence immediate clean up and remediation which has since been done by the station.

In their remarks, some landlords in the affected area confirmed that the community was free from any form of contamination, and acknowledged the swift response of the management of the service station after the leakage was reported.

One of the landlords whose houses were affected, Mr. Razak Odufuwa, of No. 57, St. Finbarrs College Road, Akoka, confirmed that there was an incident of fuel leakage in the area.

He commended the management of the service station for mitigating the impact of the fuel leak and speeding the clean-up exercise.

According to Odufuwa, “When the incident occurred, our water was contaminated and unsafe to drink or for any other domestic purposes. The station was the first to alert us. They disconnected all the water sources and gave us an alternative source of water while they corrected the situation.

They have corrected the situation, dug a new borehole in my house and I now have clean water.”

Another resident whose house was affected confirmed that Total filling station provided household tank and regularly filled it with water thrice a week. He added that a borehole was also drilled in his compound which provides clean and portable water.

“Since the incident, we called them and they responded, they supplied water and drilled a borehole which we have been drinking from,’’ he said.

According to documents obtained from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Bariga Police Station which fully participated in the remediation exercise, the affected area was certified free from contamination.

NOSDRA also presented the final certification report declaring the area free and safe from pollution.