Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), has warned that Lagos State may soon witness unprecedented loss of lives and property that will dwarf fatalities associated with pipeline explosions across the country, if environmental and safety concerns are left unaddressed in on-going pipeline projects in the city.
Of particular concern to ERA/FoEN, is a pipeline project by Gaslink, an Oando Plc subsidiary, which will convey gas from the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) to industrial users in Ikeja and the greater Lagos area.
It said besides likely explosions in the event of rupture, conflicting reports from Lagos State Ministry of the Environment on whether the company carried out an Environmental Impact Assess-ment (EIA), was a continuation of non-observance of environmental standards by oil firms operating in the country.
In a statement released yesterday in Lagos, ERA/FoEN said the pipeline traverse densely populated communities in Ikeja, Ojota, Ikorodu Expressway, Oshodi-Isolo Expressway, Apapa and Mile 2, and that it was shocking that the pipes are laid very close to residential homes.
“One is just amazed by this ring of gas pipelines they are laying around Lagos. The sheer magnitude of natural gas that will pass through the pipes, which is put at 70 million standard cubic meters per month is huge and our fears is further compounded by the clumsy network through which it will be freighted to industrial users,” it said. Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Nnimmo Bassey said.
According to Bassey, residents of areas where the pipeline right-of-way traverses do not even know what the pipes will convey “because Gaslink has not followed international best practices in the oil and gas industry which dictates that there must be an all-inclusive EIA.”
He noted that of particular concern is the perennial traffic snarl on the pipeline route and warned on the likelihood of a disaster under the Maryland flyover where the pipes encroached on lanes meant for the state-owned Bus Rapid Transport (BRT).
“The lives of Lagos residents is being taken for granted,� he maintained.
Sep52007