A delegation from the Impacted Communities of Akwa Ibom State has raised the alarm over the potential danger of corked oil well heads drilled in the 50s by the Shell Petroleum Development Company.

Lamenting their predicament on Friday in Uyo, the state capital during a courtesy visit on the leadership of Akwa Ibom Oil Producing Community Development Network, the group said the corked oil well heads which littered their farmlands have not only become a potential danger that can explode at any time given time but have rendered their environment unproductive for any farm activity.

A resident of Nsit-Ubuim Local Government, and a member of the group, Akpan Stephen, who claimed to have worked with ExxonMobil for years decried the danger faced by the communities.

“There is enormous pressure underneath these well heads which were drilled in the 50s and the collusion is impacting on them, thereby lessening the strength of the corked well heads, so it’s just a time bomb waiting to happen”, Stephen said.

He therefore called on Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, to adequately compensate the locals whose environment have been severely damaged by years of drilling activity.

Another villager from Ikono Local Government, Namonso Nya, lamented that the corked well heads have rendered the environment unproductive adding that no yield can ever come out as a result of the pollution.

According to him, “Villagers in these communities where these corked well heads are, are suffering, go to these communities, nothing grows again. SPDC should come in and compensate the people, it has affected lives, most of the diseases we suffer today – cancer, high blood pressure are because of this oil of a thing”.

Earlier, the leader of the group, Daniel Akpan, explained that they were on the visit to appreciate the leadership of AKPICON for spearheading the struggle for a cleaner and safer environment in the state.

Responding, the President General of AKPICON, Dr Ufot Phenson, appreciated the group for sending signals to SPDC that all is not well in their communities, promising that his organization will continue the struggle for payment of compensation to the affected communities.

Efforts to speak with the management of SPDC on the situation was in vain as at the time of filing this report. (Saturday PUNCH)