A week after the discovery of a leak equivalent to approximately 300,000 barrels of oil on a Perenco site at the Cap Lopez terminal, the Franco-British group and the Gabonese authorities affirmed that the situation is ” completely mastered “. But civil society organizations remain skeptical.
The government says that no maritime pollution has not been observed to date. However, Georges Mpaga of the Gabonese Network of Free Organizations for Good Governance (ROLBG) disagrees. He noted the existence of oil stains in the water on the Oba and Moba sites, in the department of Etimboué:
” The Moba station is flooded with tens of tons of hydrocarbons which are spreading around the forest. There are mangroves nearby, so a major disaster is looming. »
For Vianney-Presley Madzou, communications adviser to the Minister of Oil, Gas and Mines, zero risk does not exist: “ All measures are taken to try to stem this. Cases of pollution, when this happens, there is the administration of hydrocarbons which is seized, the administration of the environment which is seized and there are missions on the ground and we await the reports of these missions, then we will decide. »
Perenco is regularly questioned for its oil activities. The latest leak has touched Cape Lopez and the authorities maintain that the retention bins have avoided the worst, but Nicaise Moulombi, director of the Healthy Environment Growth Organization, is skeptical:
” The Total group, which sold at the time of the sale, had warned the buyer that there was a failure in this tank. Why did this buyer not want to rehabilitate this tank? »
The NGOs denounce the obsolescence of the Franco-British group’s equipment and call for it to be brought up to international standards.
” Lies »
This new leak was discovered while Perenco is currently already being sued by NGOs, including the Gabonese Network of Free Organizations for Good Governance (ROLBG), for repetitive pollution at its production sites.
According to Georges Mpaga, president of the Gabonese Network of Free Organizations for Good Governance (ROLBG), Perenco “ does not acknowledge the facts and minimizes » by affirming « lies “. The ROLBG is concerned about the consequences of this new pollution.
Georges Mpaga, president of ROLBG, worries about new leaks and Perenco “minimizing” them