By Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa – Indigenes of riverine settlements of Peremabiri and Ezetu in the Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly over an alleged plot by some persons to deny their communities from benefitting from the N2.5bn Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) projects in the state.

Though it was reliably gathered that ten projects were earmarked for the state by the federal government interventionist agency (NDDC) amounting to N2.5bn and N400m for the riverside communities of Peremabiri and Ezetu for shore protection works and land reclamation the communities warned that the failure of the commission to list the projects for Ezetu and Peremabiri could trigger protest leading to the disruption of activities at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.

Leaders of the community noted with concern that the recent advertisement published by the commission on 2010 projects for Bayelsa State estimated at N2.5billion under the Ecology and Regional budget provisions indicated that Peremabiri and Ezetu communities with project worth of N400m was not listed for execution.

To this end, prominent indigenes of the communities including ex-militant leaders, Eris Paul popularly known as ‘Commander’ Ogunboss and Ebikabowei Victor-Ben known as ‘General’ Boyloaf have been contacted on the development and asked to reach the President on the issue.

Chairman of the Peremabiri Community Caretaker Committee, Mr. Peredeseghabofa Dickson who disclosed this in Yenagoa said though the people of the community have decided to maintain dialogue and peaceful approach to the issue, “the failed attempts to meet with the Managing Director, EDFA and EDP of NDDC is provocative and retrogressive.”

He explained that past incidents of exclusion of the communities from development projects by the commission was provocative and would not be tolerated this time around.

“In the past, the commission has never allocated any viable projects to our community and our earlier call made the public listing of proposed project in the 2010 budget possible but we are the ones excluded,” Dickson lamented.

When contacted on the issue, ‘Commander’ Ogunboss expressed displeasure over the exclusion of his community and Ezetu from the advertised ten projects for Bayelsa State.

“I am angry over the exclusion and the cry of the people of my community and Ezetu over the years of neglect by the NDDC is worrisome and must be reversed to avoid disturbing situations in the region,” Ogunboss warned.

The ex militant leader however said he has prevailed on the people of the communities to remain calm and seek ways of dragging the commission to court if other means of dialogue fail.