The recent bloody crisis that engulfed some Delta state riverine
communities following the controversial $16 billion Gas City Project,
which is located at Ogidigben of Warri South West Local Government Area
of Delta State, is said to be rearing its ugly head again as the people
of the Kpokpo / Okpeleama Communities, have warned President Goodluck
Jonathan, for his own personal interest they say, to put off for now,
his next scheduled visit, part of a foundation laying ceremony at the
Escravos Export Processing Zone (EPZ).
Issuing the warning on behalf of the communities is an influential
Niger Delta Activist, Chief Bello Oboko, who advised President Goodluck
Jonathan to put off the foundation laying ceremony in order not to risk
the anger of neglected stakeholders.
Addressing newsmen few days ago at the Stakeholders Forum on Securing
Oil and Gas Investments in Effurun, Oboko, Chief Bello Oboko cited the
case of the Kpokpo/Okpeleama Communities. He said though not less than
335.554 hectares of land belonging to the Escravos EPZ land area, and
the dwellers of Kpokpo/Okpeleama land area, are not allowed to
participate in the on-going work carried out in the Escravos EPZ site.
As such, what is worth doing is worth doing well.
The Niger Delta Activist insisted that Stakeholders should be guided by
the experiences of the past in charting a way forward in securing oil
investments.
Oboko, who was the President of the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw
Communities (FNDIC,) was approached by the former President, Olusegun
Obasanjo, years ago to resolve what some called ‘foreign hostage and
pipeline vandalization.’ The situation in the Niger Delta comes from an
apparent neglect of required action by all Stakeholders, so goes the
thinking, and had resulted in the destruction of oil investments in the
past.
While listing the vandalized oil investment properties to members of the
press, Chief Bello Oboko was clear in the naming of names of the
affected sites. Damaged oil properties include, Dibi, Alero, Sahara Oil
Flow Stations; owned by Chevron Nigeria Limited, Opumami Flow Station;
owned by Elf, Warri-Lagos Gas Pipeline and Crude Oil Pipeline; owned by
the Petroleum Pipeline Marketing Company (PPMC), Oboko said there was a
need to avoid a repeat by a changing of ways.”
Following the revocation of their land, Oboko said there is also a human
price, and that “local economies are dislocated with nagging hunger
and humanitarian issues.” Those issues he stressed, are ones “that have
become a crises in the affected communities.” He added that it was
provocative that the people were de-inherited of their land against
God’s assurance, and quoted the Bible in Psalm 37:3, that those who
“dwell in the land enjoy safe pastures”.
Meanwhile, despite Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s inspection visit to the
project site on Wednesday, ostensibly in preparation of President
Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to perform the ceremony, the local people have
insisted on the warning issued to the President, not to embark on the
visit which might ‘result in an effect that may be devastating’ to the
president.
Speaking to our correspondent, some local youth and elders who spoke on
the condition of anonymity, said that they have concluded all plans to
resist the President’s visit, and should Jonathan remain adamant in his
stance, and to avoid to all the warnings pubicly issued to him, whatever
happens, he should be ready to take responsibility.
They accused the state governor of playing a double standard game as
far as the project is concerned, especially in the giving out of
contracts to his cronies, and political associates, to represent his
personal interest.
Top Nigerian singer, Omawumi Megbele has completed and moved into her
Mansion at Lekki Phase 1, around Tantalizers area, Victoria Island,
Lagos. The single mother of one in a quick chat with Encomium, revealed
that she spent over N100million on the home and that she completed it
all by herself. The Delta State born singer who recently acquired a
brand new 2012 ML 350 Mercedes worth about N12.5million, further said:
