- Visits 22 communities in 9 days
- Hailed with deluge of complaints, demands by host
region.
He also expressed pleasure at the statement of the acting president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo when he visited Rivers state in his tour of oil-producing states, adding that his proposed initiative will help to checkmate environmental pollutions currently ravaging the Niger Delta.
In his welcome address presented at the occasion by the chairman of Kokodiagbene community, Comr. Sheriff Mulade, on behalf of his community used the event to appeal to the traditional ruler, to use his good offices to facilitate the commencement of academic activities in the next academic session of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.
According to Comr. Mulade, Kokodiagbene Town is strategic to the University and the people of the community believe strongly that when the permanent site is completed, economic and other sustainable development activities will spring up in the area.
In his word; ”It will interest you and your entourage to know that Kokodiagbene Town is organized and peaceful and it is one of the highest oil producing communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, hosting Chevron Nigeria Limited and the single largest oil producing field in West Africa with a daily production capacity of about three hundred thousand (300,000) barrels of crude oil.
”It is important to note that, Kokodiagbene has several negatively impacted Communities which spread over its territory even when she is one of the most peaceful oil and gas bearing Communities in Delta State and Nigeria at large.
”Your Majesty, the entire people of Kokodiagbene town, both old and young implore you earnestly, to please increase the present number of Chiefs in Kokodiagbene Tow.
He also informed the visiting traditional ruler that the people of Kokodiagbene Town are in dire need of the following developmental projects to make life more productive and meaningful.
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), amongst others”.
”We the people of Kokodiagbene town strongly appeal to you and the Traditional Council of Gbaramatu kingdom to recognize our satellite communities such as Jones Creek Federated Communities, Teidegbene, Ogidadino etc as well as give Chieftaincy titles to worthy Sons and Daughters of impacted communities to give them sense of belonging in
the affairs of Gbaramatu Kingdom”.
In his own address while receiving the visiting monarch, the chairman of Makaraba Community, Chief David Bubor explained that Makaraba is a major oil and gas producing community in Gbaramatu kingdom, which has produced great men for Gbaramatu kingdom in particular and theIzon-Ibe nation at large.
”We wish to use this august occasion to appeal to HRM OBORO-GBARAUN 11 to use his highly esteemed throne to make it a reality for us in our pursuit of Makaraba-Okoyitoru link road, Makaraba-Okoyitoru electrification project, Makaraba-Okoyitoru water project, sand filling of our community and the Teachers Quarters of Adagbarasa primary school”.
The Chairman of the Okoyitoru Community told visiting of His Royal Majesty, Oboro-Gbaraun II, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, that his oil and gas producing community has been neglected by the oil companies and the successive governments.
”Your Royal Majesty, you are aware that Okoyitoru community is an oil and gas bearing community which is host to Chevron Nigeria Limited. As you can see on your way to this community all the creeks are dotted with oil wells and also an oil platform. But the community has been variously neglected by the local, state and the Federal governments.
”It is our request, you use your good exalted Royal position to all the levels of Government to bring infrastructural, human and capital development to Okoyitoru community since we are contributing greatly to the treasury of our great country which is distributed to all strata of our national economy.
”Your Royal Majesty, we hereby put in our request for Piling/Reclamation of Okoyitoru community”. he said.
The Pere in his speech at Azama, Inikorogha and Ubafa communities on Monday 13 February, 2017 said, there is no doubt that Gbaramatu kingdom, Ijaw nation and Niger Delta is blessed with abundant natural resources; apart from oil the region is also endowed with a large expanse of fertile land.
He advised the indigenes of the Gbaramatu kingdom and the Ijaw nation to start engaging in farming as a veritable alternative to oiI and gas.
A welcome address he presented on behalf of the community to His Royal Majesty, Oboro-Gbaraun 11 Aketekpe Agadagba on the occasion of his visit to the area, Chief God’spower Gbenekama, Ibe-benemowei of Gbaramatu kingdom on behalf of Azama community apprised the traditional ruler of the needs of the community. These he said include Electricity.
On Inter-community roads, he said there have been a self-help road project initiated about 30 years ago by Azama and Inikorogha communities, linking Ubafa, Inikorogha and Azama communities. He pleaded that attention should be given to this road so that it can
link Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of the community.
He continues; ”The development of Ubafa community is so important to all communities around Ubafa creek. For instance, the primary school which was called Kunpa Primary School was attended by pupils from Kunukunu-ama, Pepe-ama, Inikorogha and Azama, because all these communities had no primary school of their won this period.
”Attracting development to the community therefore will make life easier and meaningful to the surrounding communities especially Azama and Inikorogha communities”, he said.
Mr. Christopher Ejoh, the chairman of Inikorogha community in own address during the visit of the monarch told the august visitor that the community has been grossly underdeveloped and there is very little infrastructure development hence, he seeks the support of the highly revered monarch, to attract development to his community from IOC’s and government parastatals.
He also pleaded with the Pere to intervene and prevail on the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to ensure the community’s drainage project, rehabilitation of collapse concrete jetty and the completion of the twin hall projects.
Adding that the community has good land mass that can support farming activities, he asked that whenever agricultural training and loan opportunities are available, his community should be considered as a priority area as this will go a long way to boost self sufficiency in food produce in the area, which will be of benefit to the entire Gbaramatu kingdom.
” We are also requesting your majesty to attract micro credit scheme to our community to support local fishermen/women and small scale business enterprise which will help boost the economic situation in our community and indeed Gbaramatu kingdom”. he said.
The Ubafa community told the visiting Pere of Gbaramatu the community lacks a public toilet.
”Another area of challenge is the lack of health care system in Ubafa. Our community is becoming larger by the day with the attendant rise in population.
” It does no honour to the image of the community and indeed this kingdom that our health care system is awful. As a matter of fact, members of this community encounter one form of ailment or the other and they are forced to migrate from their community to other places in search of better medical facilities.
The communities visited by the Pere during the 9-days tour are; Oporoza, Kunukunu-ama, Okerenkoko, Benikrukru, Kokodiagbene, Kurutie, Makaraba, Okoyitoru, Kenyangbene, Sarabubowei, Ikpokpo, Okpele-ama/Tebujor, Opuedebubor, Opuede, Ijaghala, Igoba, Kantu, Egwa, Ubafa, Inikorogha, Azama, Pepe-ama and others.
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