BY Anayo Okoli
Umuahia—ABIA State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission, ASOPADEC, is to establish an oil pollution research institute as a way of tackling the ugly incidence of oil spills in oil producing communities in the South-South and South-East parts of the country.

When the project comes on sream, it is expected to be be the first of its type in Africa and will assist in the fight against oil spillages in oil producing communities in the country and abroad.

The commission said that it decided to embark on the project because of the need to safe-guard the environment of oil producing communities.

Already, the commission has signed an agreement with its consultant and major partner, Dr. Akpan of the University of Calabar, who is working with two companies in India and Malaysia to ensure that the project comes to fruition.

Chairman of the Commission, Chief Samuel Nwogu, who disclosed this to journalists weekend in his office, also announced that the commission spends N23.5 million monthly to train youths from various parts of the state on its Artisanship Youth Scheme.a programme that equips youths with different skills for self-employment.

Nwogu, who spoke at an interactive session to mark one year of existence of the commission, also disclosed that commission had embarked on the renovation of 70 dilapidated primary and secondary schools in various parts of the state.

According to him, renovation of 30 of the schools has been completed, while 30 others are at 90% completion stage and the remaining is on-going.

Nwogu also disclosed that the commission during last academic session paid NECO fees of 500 indigent students from the state and hoped that about 1000 indigent students would benefit this year.

Created last year by the state government to alleviate the suffering of oil producing communities of the state and to intervene in any other areas necessary, the commission, which gets about N100 million monthly as the 30% derivation fund, has also donated several thousands of exercise books and cartons of chalks to pupils and students across the state.

The chairman further disclosed that at present, the commission had embarked on provision of five solar powered motorized pipes borne water at Owaza, the largest oil producing community in the state.

He said the project would be extended to Army Camp in the community, even as he expressed the hope that the entire water project in the area would be completed by the end of this month.

Besides the water project, Nwogu said that ASOPADEC had also embarked on the provision of electricity in some communities, including Ibere in Ikwuano, Ikporobe in Ukwa West and others in Umuahia North council areas.

The commission, Nwogu added, had also embarked on provision of  street light in the Ehimiri Housing Estate in Umuahia, the capital city.