Fourteen Oil-Producing Communities in Rivers Accuse Authorities of Neglect
The oil-bearing communities in Egni Kingdom, Rivers State, have raised concerns about the alleged absence of basic amenities in their area despite their significant contributions to the country’s development.
The 14 communities, hosting major international oil firms such as Total Energies, Shell Petroleum Development Company, and Nigeria Agip Oil Company, claimed that there is little evidence of the benefits of oil exploration in their region. They called upon the federal and state governments to intervene and address the apparent lack of development.
The appeal was made during a one-day Egni Development Summit, 2023, organized by the Egni Professors and Academy Doctors Forum in collaboration with other Egni groups, held in Obite town, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state.
During the Egni Development Summit, 2023, the Chairman of the summit and President of EPADOF, Prof. Daniel Ogum, emphasized that the purpose of the gathering was to create a development blueprint for the people of Egni, catering to the interests of both present and future generations.
Despite being endowed with abundant human and mineral resources, the communities in Egni have experienced deprivation despite the significant deposits in their area.
Prof. Ogum appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that Egni reaps the benefits of the natural resources present in their region. He highlighted that the people are grappling with the adverse effects of oil exploration and urged authorities to address the challenges faced by the communities.
He said, “We thank Governor Siminalayi Fubara, for working cordially with our daughter, deputy governor of Rivers State. We respectfully remind His Excellency that he made a promise to make ONELGA the oil and gas hub of Rivers State.
“Egni is nature’s storage tank of crude petroleum and natural gas. We, therefore, most courteously request that the proposed oil and gas hub be located in Egni. Egni has suffered oil and gas exploitation and exploration hazards over the past 60 years.
“Similarly, we call on the Federal Government to recognize Egni and indeed ONELGA at large, especially in the allocation of resources and the making of appointments.
“We have given Nigeria so much without commensurate rewards. Let our reward be on earth because our natural resources are here on earth.”
He also called on the Federal Government to come to their rescue.
“We are calling on the government to bring to us what will benefit us. The Federal Government should please, remember us.
“We are gathered here to resolve to guard and enrich our heritage. Our needs are numerous, but within the limit imposed by time, we shall limit ourselves to the following; peace and security, education and youth and women empowerment, healthcare and Egni environment, Egni urbanization, investment and industry, and others,” he added
As the Special Guest at the Egni Development Summit, Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu emphasized the importance of fostering peace and togetherness among the people. She highlighted that without peace, achieving development becomes a challenging endeavor. Prof. Odu encouraged the community to prioritize unity and cooperation for the collective progress of the region.
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She said, “There should be no room for rancor; there should not be a space for us to keep arguing.
“When somebody brings an idea and another person brings a better idea, let us all embrace the better idea. Let us continue to foster peace and togetherness.”
