… May resort to media war if urgent attention is not given
A renowned media group and the mouth piece of the Niger Delta regions, Niger Delta Journalists Association has condemned in totally the obvious neglect of the government and oil companies in the development and growth of the oil regions in Imo state.
In a Press Release signed by the President, Austin Okoro and the Secretary, Basil Ukwuegbu and made available to the press, it stated that, “the local government areas where the oil is being extracted to feed the state and the nation have suffered obvious neglect, oppression and intimidation by the governments and the oil companies operating in the areas.
For more than six (6) decades, precisely 1958 till now, the oil companies have been operating in OhajiEgbema, Oguta and Oru East LGAs of Imo state with little or nothing to show for it. Roads linking OhajiEgbema and Oguta LGAs are no longer motorable, yet we have over seven (7) oil companies operating in the areas. It’s a big shame on the part of the government and oil companies since it is part of the corporate social responsibility of the government and oil companies to develop the areas they reside to do their businesses.
It is not news that the road linking OhajiEgbema from Avu is a very dilapidated state hindering the free flow of goods and services, especially agricultural produce and other raw materials, culminating to the high costs of these farm produce and making life difficult for the people. The road linking Egbema from Ogbaku is in the same state. And the one linking Egbema from Oguta also in that high dilapidated state making transportation cost too high for the common man to handle.
These roads as major passage ways to these oil rich areas need urgent repair and attention to allow for the free flow of businesses and people to those areas. The benefits of the repair and maintenance of these important infrastructures in the areas cannot be overemphasized as it will lead to the enhancement of Imo economy, as food production and other developmental activities will increase, leading to increase in Gross Domestic Product GDP and reduce inflation.
As the mouth piece of areas, we call on the Imo state government and the oil companies to come to the aid of the people of the areas by urgently building new brand roads on those passage ways as mentioned above, as the resources accruing to the areas from Imo state oil producing areas development Commission ISOPADEC and that of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC are enough to take care of such crucial needs of the areas.
We also call on our leaders to unite together and ensure that these form of dividends of democracy get to our people. Let them think more of the people than their pockets as in doing so, they will stamp their feet on the sand of times. OhajiEgbema, Oguta and Oru East LGAs will prevail.
