The Ogun State Government has insisted that the recurring gas emissions in elements of Ijebuland won’t kill anyone, assuring that affected communities might be relocated if scientific findings set up threat of loss of life or everlasting well being harm.
The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, gave the reassurance on Thursday whereas that includes on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, monitored by DAILY POST in Abeokuta.
Oresanya spoke following Wednesday’s incident the place no fewer than 100 pupils have been reportedly hospitalised in Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye after inhaling an odd chemical odour.
He mentioned the state has recorded about 5 incidents since April, including that the most recent was extra regarding as a result of it unfold to extra areas.
“From the first incident till now, we told you the kind of gas it is and that gas will not kill anybody. We told you that. It can be discomforting though,” Oresanya mentioned.
“And up to now, the state government gave the assurance that nobody will die from this gas.”
The commissioner, nevertheless, mentioned the federal government wouldn’t hesitate to evacuate affected areas if investigations verify a critical risk to life.
“All we can do, until we find out that this may kill or affect their health permanently, we may relocate them immediately,” he mentioned.
Oresanya defined that the federal government is working with scientists and related federal companies, together with the NNPC, to find out the supply of the emissions earlier than taking a ultimate determination.
“You must have a deep understanding of your problem before you rush into a solution. Why do you want to rush into a wrong solution?” he queried.
According to him, investigations by the Department of Earth Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, and the state authorities’s gas evaluation, have recognized methane in air samples collected from affected areas.
He mentioned preliminary findings from an aeromagnetic survey confirmed that Ijebu-Ode sits on a shale formation of about 0 to 150 meters depth able to producing gas, whereas the most recent incident in Ago-Iwoye, which is on basement complicated, was shocking and requires additional investigation.
The commissioner mentioned if a shallow reservoir is confirmed, authorities may depressurise the realm by drilling a nicely at an acceptable location, however a tectonic trigger would require federal intervention.
“If it’s tectonic, that’s a bigger issue. That is going to be something at the federal level that decisions have to be taken and it’s beyond us. And that means we have to do something to avoid any form of human catastrophe,” he added.
He maintained that the federal government was not abandoning affected communities and urged residents to stay calm.
DAILY POST remembers that the recurring emissions began in April when a minimum of 30 college students and a trainer have been hospitalised at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, adopted by over 100 college students and academics on May 15 and 69 college students on June 3.
