Edewor Hails Oborevwori’s Odidi Visit, Says Trans-Forcados Oil Spill Response Gives Hope to Delta Communities

Edewor Okiemute Godspower has commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s response to the Trans-Forcados oil spill, saying his visit to Odidi has restored hope among affected communities.

The Director-General of Sheriff Oborevwori: The Hope of the Common Man, Mr Edewor Okiemute Godspower, has congratulated Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, on his intervention in the Trans-Forcados oil spill crisis, saying the governor’s visit to Odidi Community has renewed hope among residents affected by the environmental disaster.

Edewor, who spoke in Warri on Wednesday, described Oborevwori’s visit to Odidi in Warri South-West Local Government Area as a demonstration of what he called compassionate and responsive leadership.

He said the governor’s decision to personally visit the affected community for an on-the-spot assessment, rather than relying solely on reports from government officials, showed sensitivity to the plight of residents whose livelihoods had been severely affected by the oil spill.

According to Edewor, communities in the affected riverine areas had endured months of environmental and economic hardship following the pollution of their waterways.

“What Governor Sheriff Oborevwori did in Odidi is leadership with a human face. For months, our people in Odidi and other affected riverine communities have cried out over the pollution that has destroyed their rivers, affected fishing and disrupted their livelihoods. The governor listened, visited them and saw the situation for himself,” he said.

Edewor said the oil spill from the Trans-Forcados pipeline, operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL), had reportedly expanded the number of affected communities from an initial 86 to 216, with concerns over contaminated water sources and the impact on fishing activities in Warri South-West and Burutu Local Government Areas.

He commended Governor Oborevwori for directing immediate action on the clean-up exercise and for extending the intervention to healthcare, noting that the governor directed the State Commissioner for Health to deploy medical teams to the affected communities.

The teams, according to him, are expected to assess residents and determine the possible health implications of prolonged exposure to the pollution.

Edewor also praised the governor for directing Heritage Energy to deploy its medical team, provide relief materials to affected residents and accelerate the clean-up process.

The governor was accompanied during the visit by the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, as well as senior security and government officials, including the Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale, Commander 63 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Buhari, and Commander NNS Delta, Commodore Shehu Tasiu.

Edewor said the governor’s intervention had demonstrated, in his view, that the M.O.R.E Agenda was not merely a political slogan but an approach to governance focused on addressing the needs of ordinary citizens.

“This visit has given hope to the common man. It has told the fisherman in Odidi, the market woman in Batan and the youth in Forcados that they have a governor who sees their challenges and is prepared to act. This is the true meaning of ‘Ukodo Dey Go Everywhere’,” he said.

He further commended Governor Oborevwori for approving the construction of a landing jetty and a modern health centre for Odidi Community, describing the decisions as further evidence of the administration’s response to the needs of the affected community.

The DG called on Heritage Energy, the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and other relevant stakeholders to fully comply with the governor’s directives on environmental remediation, medical intervention and support for families affected by the spill.

Edewor maintained that comprehensive action was necessary to restore the environment and livelihoods of communities that depend heavily on fishing and other water-based economic activities.

He also pledged the continued support and grassroots mobilisation of his organisation for Governor Oborevwori, arguing that the governor’s response to the Odidi crisis had distinguished him as a leader who, according to him, listens, responds and takes action.

“Deltans are seeing the difference between a leader who merely talks and a leader who listens, responds and acts in the interest of his people. Indeed, Sheriff Oborevwori is the Hope of the Common Man,” Edewor said.