GBARAMATU DEEP SEAPORT: Tompolo Kinsmen Threaten To Shutdown IOCs Installations Over FG Abandonment Of Projects

The people of Gbaramatu in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have threatened to shut down all oil and gas installations in their area if abandoned projects are not revisited by the federal government.

Top of their demands include the the Omadinor-Escravos road project which has been abandoned, the multibillion dollar Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Gas Revolution Industrial Park, Ogidigben, and Gbaramatu
Deep Sea Port Project.

While calling on the Federal Government to urgently address their concerns, the group had earlier threatened to shut down the operations of international oil companies (IOCs) in 10 days if their demands were not met.

In a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs, signed by its spokesman, Chief God¬spower Gbenekama T.D.A (JP), they stated that the area had continued to suffer marginalisation by the Federal Government despite fulfill¬ing their part of the bargain in the deal struck during the visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in January 2017.

They said that aside which would have created millions of jobs for the indigenes had also been abandoned by the Federal Government.

“We are constrained to have to write again to you on issues that have previously been made known to your government via various fora and at different times to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, especially on his visit to the kingdom in January 2017.

“Your Excellency, you will recall that Gbaramatu Kingdom has kept to our end of the social contract that enabled the end of the previous dangerous era of agitation that was prevalent in Gbaramatu Kingdom, and has led to a situation where Gbaramatu is one of the safest places to live, do business and visit in Nigeria, despite your government’s refusal to treat us fairly.

“In this letter, we will state a few of an inexhaustible list of grievances that threaten the continued peaceful upholding of this social contract that has now turned one sided.

“The Omadinor-Escravos Road project that was start¬ed and would have led to greater peaceful coexistence and dramatically improved economic relations between the neighbouring local government areas has been put on indefinite hold under this administration.

“This is a project that is expected to bridge the oil and gas-rich Warri South and Warri South-West Local Government Areas that both continue to be exploited daily for the continued sustenance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“This road would also cement a working and more cordial relationship, aiding peaceful coexistence between the Ijaws and It¬sekiris of Warri South and Warri South-West Local Government Areas that the road will pass through and service.

“Nowhere is this margin¬alisation more glaring than in the abrupt abandonment of the multibillion dollar Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Gas Revolution Industrial Park, Ogidigben and Deep Sea Port Project, Gbaramatu Project that would have created thousands of direct and indirect jobs at a time where this government’s job creation statistics and figures are taking a beating for not living up to the promises made.

“This is an opportunity to keep that promise with the added benefit of bringing to¬gether Gbaramatu Ijaw and Itsekiri people in a common, mutually agreeable econom¬ic venture.

“This continued, untoward, deplorable and disgraceful marginalisation has been brought to a head with the news of the recently announced bidding process for 57 marginal fields, offered by the Department of Petro¬leum Resources (DPR).

“We are by this medium, announcing our total and unequivocal objection to a bidding process that has for long excluded well to do, and ca¬pable Gbaramatu indigenes.

“If we are wrong in this assertion, we hereby call on the Federal Government and all its oil and gas agencies to within ten (10) days publish the names of any and all Gbaramatu indigenes that have directly benefited from any of these bidding processes.

“The goose that lays the golden eggs is tired of seeing said eggs carted away and enjoyed by everyone else without any discernible impact on its environment.

“The DPR has for years now, denied the Oil Mining Licenses required to partake in this bidding process to capable sons and daughters of the very places where these oil fields are situated, and we say no more!

“Another grouse of ours is the floating dock/shipyard that was meant for Gbara¬matu Kingdom, and which, for unknown reasons, your administration is bent on di¬verting to other areas.

“The Floating Dock/Ship Building Yard which was originally planned to be sit-uated close to the Nigerian Maritime University, Oke¬renkoko and was expected to provide students hands-on experience of the industry they are training to join, has inexplicably been relocated.

“This is a massive slight, not only on a kingdom that has partnered this govern¬ment on peace initiatives but is also a blatant and ill-ad¬vised attempt to deprive students of the Nigerian Mari¬time University, Okerenkoko, such a brilliant learning opportunity.

“This is a gross dereliction of duty and one we condemn in the strongest possible terms.”