The Turkana County administration in collaboration with NEMA officials will continuously monitor oil and gas exploration activities in the South Lokichar basin to safeguard local residents from potentially hazardous pollutants.
Turkana County Director for Environment, Clement Nadio, speaking to KNA after a joint team from the County and NEMA completed random collection of samples for laboratory analysis, Nadio pledged to make public the results after laboratory analysis.
“Non-compliance to environmental protection laws would not be tolerated in Turkana,” said Nadio.
He lauded local residents for their vigilance and prompt reporting of the visible soil discoloration as a result of suspected pollutants and liquid waste around well pads to the County Government authorities early last month.
The County Director for Environment further noted that, Environment Officers have been empowered through the Kenya Devolution Support Program (KDSP) sponsored training on enforcement of Environmental laws and also assured residents of the County’s’ commitment towards ensuring compliance on the part of oil and gas exploration operators.
Nadio clarified that both liquid and soil samples had been collected from Etiir and Amosing 3 well pads for submission to the NEMA accredited laboratories for chemical analysis.
The sample collection exercise which also involved Project Oil Kenya, comes barely a month after another multisectoral team had surveyed the area and recommend the institution of corrective measures including random collection of samples.
Present during the exercise were Senior Environment Officer for Turkana East, William Mbotela, Senior Environment Officer for Turkana South, Lydia Ejore, Lokichar Ward Environment Officer, David Epeta, NEMA representative, Francis Emanikor, and Project Oil Kenya Officers.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
