COMMUNITY REPORT
Threats To Shutdown Oil Wells In Delta: Okowa Calls For A Sustained Win-win Option
As the ultimatum given to the Federal Government by Ijaws of Gbaramatu Kingdom and Itsekiri group expires Thursday, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has called for a sustain dialogue to achieve a win-win situation with the Federal Government (FG), over the pending demands.
The Ijaw of Gbaramatu Kingdom and Itsekiri in the Escravos area of Warri South-West LGA had gave the federal government 10 days ultimatum to meet their demands, failure to which they threatened to shutdown oil installations in their domain.
Spokesman of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama gave the ultimatum’s warning in a strong worded statement last week. He said that the Kingdom should not be held responsible if the youths resorted to shutting all oil installations in the land.
In the letter, the Gbamaratu people listed their grievances to include the Federal Government failure to restart the multi-billion naira Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project including the Gas Revolution Industrial Park, Ogidigben and Deep Seaport, Okenrekoko in Gbaramatu.
The people had also expressed worried over the failure of the Buhari’s administration to restart the Omadinor-Excravos road Project that was discontinued by APC-led administration and the award of 57 marginal oil fields without considering the host communities.
The Itsekiris also cited similar demands in a statement by Mr Besidone Samuel, spokesman of Itsekiri Oil/Gas Producing Communities, threatening a possible shut down of oil operations in Itsekiri communities.
The ultimatum expires Thursday with alleged Federal Government adamance to the longstanding demands.
Worried by the development, Deputy Governor of Delta State, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, who stood in for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, appealed to Ijaw of Gbaramatu and Itsekiri people to rescind the planned shut down of oil operations for a win-win strategy/outcome which according to him, the Delta State Government was envisaging in its engagement with the federal government.
“I personally appeal that the oil communities consider jettisoning the idea of shutting down oil operations, as a birthday gift to our Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and to enable his team more time to deepen discussions with the appropriate authorities”, he said.
He thanked the Itsekiri and the Ijaw of Gbaramatu for peacefully airing their demands for worldwide attention but was quick to add, “I think that resorting now to shutting down oil operations by Ijaw and Itsekiri in place of the present peaceful path would be seen as confrontational owing to the present financial situation of the FG which the Gbaramatu people acknowledged in their own protest.
“It would additionally cripple Federal Government capacity to address our clearly legitimate demands and erase outside sympathy for the cause. It could lead our vulnerable people thereby deprived of world sympathy to be on collision course with the FG”.
“The world has been watching the commendably peaceful protests by Gbaramatu Ijaw and the Itsekiri, over pending demands.
“It has noted the unfair deprivation of the Modular Floating Dockyard (MFD) for training of students of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko. The demand for Escravos Processing Zone (EPZ) or Gas Revolution Industrial Park project is a legitimate quest for benefitting from oil industry funded by their oil.
“The world knows it is unconscionable to deny the oil producing people Oil Mining Licenses (OML) and Marginal Fields generously given to others to their exclusion.
“The world is persuaded that it is immoral to keep the communities in darkness while their oil powers never-dimming lights in premises of the oil companies around”, Otuaro said.
“Let me assure our people that results-producing dialogue is a process, not an event. Let us keep the peace and the faith. Dialogue has yielded some fruits however slow. The FG has awarded the electrification project that will benefit about 50 communities in the said Escravos area and work is ongoing but need be expedited.
“The Delta State Government Committee on the Modular Floating Dockyard chaired by myself, Commissioner of Finance, as well as Barr. Bosin Ebikeme, Hon. Kelly Penawou amongst others, has not closed discussions with the FG on sending the Modular Floating Dockyard to Okerenkoko area for intended purpose while presently supporting the FG efforts in running the Nigerian Maritime University.
“As a government, we also made helicopter-assisted aerial tour/observations of communities impacted by oil pollution ahead of the dying fishes saga mentioned in the Gbaramatu people’s protest, and commissioned soil/water samples for laboratory investigations to enable us push a strong case for environmental remediation”, Otuaro pleaded.
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