•Youths hand Shell 90-day deadline to address demands
A crisis is brewing in oil producing communities in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State over alleged marginalisation and underdevelopment of the areas.
The Etche Peoples Liberation Congress warned that if urgent step was not taken to address the social injustice in land, the situation might get out of hand. It said the people have threatened to take the law into their hands to draw attention to their plights.
EPLC, which comprises of activists, social critics, commentators and academics of Etche origin, has assumed the mouthpiece of Etche ethnic nationality. The group demands adequate compensations from the federal and state governments as well as oil multinational Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
The group is also demanding the inclusion of its in the boards of Federal parastatals and agencies, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NODSRA) National Environmental Standard, Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) among others.
A visit to Etche communities by Niger Delta Report showed that some of the major road contracts awarded six to eight years ago were either poorly executed or abandoned. The deplorable condition of Umuechem –Ozuzu road, Okoroagu-Odagwa road and Igboetche –Oyigbo road which is the major roads linking the communities in the area are in a deplorable condition.
Comrade Japheth Ogbueri, the President of EPLC said the organisation was formed to institute a formidable pressure front that will address challenges of all social and political injustices that are detrimental to the prosperity of oil producing ethnic nationality of Etche. He said the organisation also monitor projects initiated by government and multi-national companies operating in the area.
To this end, he disclosed that the EPLC has given SPDC 90 days to initiate a roundtable discussion with the Chief and Elders of the area over the economic sabotage of Etche ethnic nationality or leave their environment.
Ogbueri said: “After the expiration of the ultimatum given to SPDC and nothing happened, we the youths of Etche will chase them out of our land.”
He said Etche, an oil-bearing ethnic nationality had nothing to show for its contribution to economic of the country even as its people lived in penury. He noted that the abandoned road projects was as a result of the economic sabotage perpetrated by the SPDC and corrupt politicians in collaboration with some elders who have sold their respects and dignities for selfish interest.
Comrade Ogbueri said the best time to address the social injustice in the land is now before it is late, he threatened that the incident that took place at Kokori community may repeat itself in Etche.
“The issue of Kokori , Ogoni and the rest of oil communities will not be compared to what may happen in Etche when the time comes. We are tired of seeking for peace; of course, those oil producing communities who carried arms against Federal government are not stronger than the Etche people. As a matter of fact, we have consulted the highest deity in the land called Amadiohazuzu and he has given us his approval to go ahead with our struggle, so we are not afraid of anybody.
”Though, we have not done anything in Etche land that will attract the Federal Government attention to recognize our pride of place as oil producing ethnic nationality. The worse of it all is that one kobo of security vote has not been extended to this ethnic nationality. We are hospitable people, since 1959 when SPDC started operation we have not seen N1 million naira project sited in the area.
“There is oil spill in Etche that is why my organisation is fighting SPDC and we are going to use every available democratic nonviolent, intellectual means to fight our battle. SPDC has never talk about negotiation they don’t have visible MOU or GMOU. They mingled with some corrupt community leaders and take a unreasonable agreement without the consent of the majority of Etche people. There is nothing in Etche land to show that SPDC is operating in the area, go to other oil producing communities in Niger Delta you will see projects executed by SPCDC but Etche are being taking for granted.”
Comrade Prince Onyeche, the Principal Information Officer of Etche People’s Liberation Congress added that the organisation is carrying out community to community sensitization programme for the youths of Etche as part of the measure to reawaken their consciousness over the suffering of the ethnic nationality.
He accused politicians in the area of being the main saboteurs in dragging the destiny of the ethnic nationality back by placing personal interests above the general interest of the people.
”We are respected youths who came together to fight different atrocities in Etche. We have started our sensitization and mobilization campaign because when the time comes we will mobilize the youths against the saboteurs in Etche. We have our support, we have our resources, the most important thing now is to make the youths think rightly and to defend the available resource within their environment. Those politicians who are selling their conscience will soon be chased out of Etche land. Enough is enough; we are no longer a child. The business to rescue and liberate our people from object power is our most concern.”
Speaking in the same vein, Chief Michael Anaele, one of the elders in the area, said, “Etche people are happy that their sons and daughters are now fighting what nobody was able to fight. Today EPLC has identified the developmental needs, they are now demanding for compensations from SPDC for wanton destruction and devastation of Umuechem, Odagwa, Igbo, Umuebulu and Okoroagu communities. So we are very happy because they made themselves available to ensure that Etche ethnic nationality is not taking for granted.”
Efforts to reach SPDC spokesperson, Mr Joseph Obari, were abortive. He was yet to respond to text message request for comment at press time.
