DELTA State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Bello Orubebe, said, yesterday, that he was relocating from Asaba to Warri temporarily, following a massive oil spillage, which occurred within the Chevron Nigeria Limited yard in Ekpan, Uvwie Lcoal Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner pointed out that due to the urgency required, he will brief the Governor on the outcome of the situation on a 24-hour basis while in Warri.

A team of Chevron officials led by Mr. Tim Ainodion, had while briefing the Environment Commissioner in Asaba, said the spill occurred on July 22, when a tug boat belonging to its contractor got sunk, admitting that only eight litres of petroleum product spilled. But in a sharp reaction, Dr. Orubebe said that Chevron’s briefing was contrary to the field report from his Ministry staff.

While describing the situation as a serious affair, contrary to the impression being created by Chevron, Orubebe said, "it can spill into security issue, which can affect and threaten the amnesty and peace, which Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, his colleagues and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Ebele Jonathan have laboured to achieve".

"I have the consent and authority of the government of Delta State to inform you that I am relocating to Warri. Also the office of Special Adviser on Oil and Gas, Executive Assistant to the Governor on Micro Credit, Director of Ecology in the establishment of Environment, Sanitation and Waste Management, Forestry and Ecology, Conservation and Delta State Environmental Protection Agency are redeploying to Warri.

"Deltans in their thousands engaged in legitimate fishing business, who have no business or no interest in oil bunkering and militancy in the Niger Delta have been affected and they are now in penury because of the destruction and the effect of the spill is still continuing.

"So at this stage, whereas we encourage investors and Chevron as a major stakeholder in Delta State, it is also important to note that from what is happening right now, it is not the time to jaw jaw, to apportion blame, but we must go back there immediately to address the issues on ground, which Chevron did not capture in it presentation," he added.

"We insist that the spill is still continuing, the effect is still continuing, the fish in the ponds are dying. As a ministry, we are prepared to work with you to ensure that we contain this spill and then move to the next stage, where we would put our heads together and work out a framework for remediation", he added.