Ogun State government says the incessant gas emission in Ijebu-Ode and its environ in recent times has to do with natural underground geological events and not any traditional myth or belief.

      Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ola Oresanya disclosed this during a state government- organized Town Hall meeting with  all stakeholders on the gas emission in the town and it's environs  at the Bisi Rodipe Hall, GRA in Ijebu-Ode.

     According to him scientific investigations have revealed that the gas emitting in some parts of the town and its environs are mainly Methane and Sulphide which are coming from the underground arising from an established event caused by fractures of faultlines 

   "There is what we call the Ifewara-Zungeru  trans-atlantic line that cut across Mojoda , Ijebu-Ode into Osun State through the Zungeru in Niger State .That faultline has been there from time  immemorial and it has been found out that that is the line that connects to the areas  where the gas emission occured.Coincidentally all the affected schools are located in that area".

   "In fact that area of Ijebu ode town was going to be a Forest and were mainly deserted and are not places where people have been living for decades.However historical background showed that most of the schools affected are missionary schools which are built on lands probably given by the leaders of the town as most of the areas are deserted by town people"

   Oresanya added that the state government is now trying to establish if the gas emission which are Methane and Sulphide are thermogenic or methanogenic in nature through analysis and also establish whether Ijebu ode is sitting on huge gas reserve which will be the pressurized away from the town. 

     Also speaking,the Commissioner for Health,Dr Tomi Coker advised residents of Ijebu-Ode and its environs not to panic and obey health measures like covering their nose with wet handkerchief and stop using face mask which is dangerous during the gas emission and call Health Emergency Line 08112000033 for   attention.

    In his contributions,the  Commissioner for Education,Science and Technology, Professor Abayomi Arigbadu said all the schools recently closed by the state government will be opened after a systematic arrrangement and discussions with the Principals of the affected schools and Zonal Education Officers of the area and called on parents to give the state government time to carry out these needful processes. 

      For Professor Philip Ikhane ,Head of Earth Science Department,Olabisi Onabanjo University that is leading the investigating team,he called on the people in the affected areas to  be calm as the team and the state government are  doing all they can to unravel the concrete reasons for the gas emission counseling them to minimize human activities such as borehole-drilling and blasting at quarries that will aggravate the fault lines which will make them dangerous for humans.

       For the stakeholders,Messers Adegbenro Adetayo, Olawale Kukoyi , Monday Ajayi and Mrs Morayo Adebanjo thanked the state government for its efforts and called on the residents of the area and schools to always call the health helpline whenever the need arises