Indigenes of the seven host communities of the Eriemu oil field, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, have told the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, that there would be no going back on their resolve to shut down all oil installations in their domain should the commission fail to comply with the 30 days ultimatum they gave to mobilize the contractor handling their 11-kilometre road project that was abandoned 13 years ago.
According to statements made by their president generals, Moses Oruruore, Philip Akpovukoko, Ejomafuvwe Iboyi, Francis Akpoedafe, Vote Iboy, Faith Abuke, and Jecob Ubiri, the ultimatum will expire before the end of this month. In the statement, they stated that the roads, which connects the communities of Saniko and Otokutu and goes from Saniko Community Junction through Opherin Community to Emevor Agbarha Road, had been awarded by the commission in 2010 but had since been abandoned and uncompleted.
“As host communities for more than 30 oil wells, a flow station, an NGC plant, the largest manifold in West Africa, and numerous pipelines, flow lines, and delivery lines in the Eriemu oil field, we are marginalized by all levels of government because we have nothing to demonstrate for our enormous contribution to the wealth of this nation.
“Despite our repeated letters to the Niger Delta Development Commission, they have remained impervious to our suffering. We staged a non-violent demonstration against the incomplete road in June of last year, but the state government intervened and pledged to address the issue within three months. As of right now, neither NDDC nor the state government have responded.
“We have given the Niger Delta Development Commission a one-month deadline to get the contractor back on-site last month; if they don’t, we would be compelled to shut down all of the oil facilities on our land”. They stated firmly that the only language they would like to hear from the commission is to send its contractor back to the job site and start working on the road otherwise they are not going back on their words. “We are using this medium to remind NDDC of our ultimatum,” they said.
While the potential consequences of this action remain uncertain, it remains to be seen if the shutdown will have any impact on the prices of AGO/MGO.
Source: Vanguard News, Sun Nigeria News.
