Worried by persistent underdevelopment and negligence of several memos sent to the federal government on the level of poverty and official negligence in terms of development projects, the people of oil-rich Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local government area, ONELGA, in Rivers State, have given 14 days ultimatum to the federal government to act immediately.
The ultimatum was also extended to oil multinationals doing business in the area to begin practical moves to address the anomalies or face unpleasant consequences.
In a press briefing at Omoku, headquarters of the local government area, Chairman, ONELGA Stakeholders Forum, Chief Nelson Ekperi, said “the area, with 507 oil wells, 13 oil fields and four oil mining leases, had remained in deplorable and sad state since oil exploration activities commenced in the area”.
Another key stakeholder named in the ultimatum includes the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Ekperi averred that “We request that both the Rivers State and Federal Governments should produce a blue print to develop ONELGA as a mega city. We, therefore, issue another 14 days ultimatum to address our issues, as we may be forced to do the needful at the expiration of this ultimatum.”
Other major demands of the communities include development of the area into a mega-city, which will include dualization of Ahoada – Omoku-Ebocha-Egbema road with street lights. Besides, the communities made it clear that failure of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), to site its proposed refinery in the area, will be met with the height of resistance ever in history.
Ekperi said “We forbid the mentioning of any other place outside ONELGA for the refinery project because our natural resources shall no longer be used to develop other areas to the detriment of ONELGA.”
The briefing was well attended by community leaders from all the constituting communities and they spoke with one voice.
Efforts to get the response of concerned private and public establishments named in the ultimatum as at Thursday evening failed as some of them that spoke, cleverly skipped commenting on the issues raised.
