SSDC delivers relief to gas-hit Rivers community
The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has distributed humanitarian relief materials to residents of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State following persistent gas seepage and methane emissions that have contaminated underground water sources, rivers and wells.
The intervention is intended to alleviate the hardship caused by the environmental crisis, which has disrupted livelihoods, threatened food security and affected the daily activities of residents.
Nathan Tamarapreye, Bayelsa
The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has distributed humanitarian relief materials to residents of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State following persistent gas seepage and methane emissions that have contaminated underground water sources, rivers and wells.
The intervention is intended to alleviate the hardship caused by the environmental crisis, which has disrupted livelihoods, threatened food security and affected the daily activities of residents.
The Commission’s Executive Director, Social Services and Human Capital Development, Engr. Preye Aganaba, led a delegation to the affected community on behalf of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Usoro Akpabio.
Akpabio assured the residents that the commission would not abandon them, stressing that their recovery remained a priority.
She described Bille as an important economic hub in Rivers State and the South-South region, warning that the environmental crisis had consequences beyond property damage.
According to her, the persistent gas emissions have disrupted businesses, threatened food security, displaced families and deprived residents of their means of livelihood.
She said the situation highlighted the need for the SSDC to address the developmental and humanitarian challenges confronting communities across the South-South region.
Akpabio disclosed that the commission had provided 86 categories of food and non-food items, including rice, beans, garri, noodles, groundnut oil, palm oil, mattresses, sleeping mats, wrappers, mosquito nets, buckets, sanitary pads and baby diapers.
She said the intervention was in response to President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the commission provide relief to vulnerable communities and accelerate development across the six South-South states.
In a message conveyed through the delegation, Akpabio said: “The plight of the people of Bille is of great concern to the Commission. Their recovery remains a priority, and we want to assure them that they will not be overlooked in our developmental agenda.”
She added that the intervention was designed to complement the efforts of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The SSDC chief executive pledged the commission’s continued commitment to environmental protection, disaster resilience, sustainable infrastructure and improved livelihoods across the region.
Receiving the delegation, Chairman of the Bille Council of Chiefs, Chief Bennett Okpoke, commended the commission for responding to the community’s plight but called for urgent government action to address the root cause of the crisis.
Okpoke said residents had endured persistent gas and methane seepage for a considerable period, with devastating effects on their water sources, livelihoods and daily activities.
He appealed to the Federal and Rivers State Governments, as well as relevant environmental and regulatory agencies, to urgently find a lasting solution to the pollution threatening the health and economic survival of the community.
He described the SSDC’s visit as a demonstration of solidarity and genuine concern for residents during a difficult period.
Also speaking, NEMA’s Head of Operations for Bayelsa and Rivers States, Dr Chidi Ogundu, said the agency had approached the SSDC over the environmental emergency and commended the commission for its prompt response.
Ogundu disclosed that an Environmental Impact Assessment had been conducted to determine the extent of the damage and its implications for residents. He said the findings revealed significant adverse effects on the community.
Describing the situation as a collective responsibility, he stressed the need for urgent and coordinated intervention to protect the affected population.
“An injury to one is an injury to all,” he said, while commending the SSDC for providing relief materials to ease the hardship.
Ogundu further revealed that NEMA’s technical team had begun efforts to address the community’s potable water challenges, particularly the contamination of water sources linked to the gas seepage.
He said the intervention was necessary to prevent further exposure of residents to potential health hazards.
The relief materials, provided by the SSDC on behalf of its managing director, board chairman and management, were formally handed over to the Bille community through NEMA.
The delegation was received by members of the Council of Chiefs of His Royal Majesty, King Igbikingeri Ngowari Cornelius Herbert, Agbaniye-Jike XVIII.
The delegation also included Mrs Oghenerukevwe Obiuwevbi, Programme Lead; Mr Nemfort Amos, Head of Legal Department; Mr Imeh Imeh Udoabah, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics; and Dr Martins I. Imhanlahimi, Technical Assistant to the Executive Director, Social Services and Human Capital Development.
Other members were Dr Chidi Ogundu of NEMA and CSP Chijioke Anthony, Divisional Police Officer, Degema Division.
The intervention underscores the SSDC’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and addressing environmental and developmental challenges across the South-South region.
