…Itsekiri graduates point fingers at IRDC, Chevron, govt officials
…We only provided funds; we’ve no hand in execution of projects — CNL
…Count my leadership out of any shoddy deal — Chief Ayiri Emami

By Perez Brisibe

UGBORODO—THERE  is a fresh hue and cry at Ugborodo community, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, over the utilization of more than N5 billion released by Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, to the Itsekiri Regional Development Council, IRDC, for execution of projects in Ugborodo and other Itsekiri oil communities    between 2005 and 2015.

Abandoned Bateren road project.

IRDC is a community development organization made up of selected representatives of Itsekiri oil communities, facilitated by Chevron to handle development projects in oil-bearing areas in the ethnic nationality.

The Ijaw has its own version of Egbema-Gbaramatu Central Development Foundation, EGCDF.

NAIG screams over abandoned projects: However, the National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, accused both CNL and IRDC of insensitivity and undercutting the people. It also pointed fingers at government officials from the ethnic nationality, saying they do not have the interest of the people at heart.

Edema asserted: “Chevron must take responsibility for these abandoned projects and urgently do something about them as the IRDC has only succeeded in making some crop of people overnight billionaires.

Reticulation of the project

“There are lots of abandoned projects embarked on by the IRDC. One of such is the N466.5 million Tebu water project, which is to serve Ebrohimi, Jakpa, Obaghoro, Udo, Aja-Amita and Gbokoda communities.”

“The Delta State government promised to reticulate the water to all communities within that axis by including Oboro, Dale Oketa and Ogheye communities, but as I speak with you, the project is wasting away because some individuals in government embezzled the fund meant for the reticulation of the project,” he alleged

“If the project had been completed, the problem of getting potable water from these communities would have been solved as the youths in the communities would have equally been able to set up pure water businesses to serve other adjourning communities,” he added.

Complicity: Edema, who accused the IRDC of not living up to expectation, said: “The IRDC representatives are the ones that tell Chevron what is needed by the communities. Chevron in turn awards the contract for such projects to companies which are owned by these IRDC representatives.”

“The bone of contention here is that, despite disbursing monies for these projects, they are abandoned and Chevron fails to take action against the contractors because they got kickbacks from these contractors cum IRDC representatives,” he said.

However, findings by  NDV  indicated that the in-fighting has pitched the leaders against themselves, making it impossible to IRDC disburse over N3 billion in various accounts

But some indigenes of the area lamented that a large percentage of the   projects are either haphazardly done or abandoned to the detriment of the host communities including the Ugborodo Cottage hospital which is at best is a shadow of itself since it was gutted by fire.

Chevron dismisses alleged meddling in communities’ affairs

Contrary to the claim of NAIG, Chevron said it had built 56 units of 2-bedroom apartments, awarded 100 educational scholarships (40 tertiary and 60 secondary) to beneficiaries from Ugborodo community annually,    built 2 integrated agricultural farms, a water project, a 510-meter concrete walkway, a health centre at Bateren, cottage hospital at Gbokoda and contributed N100million to the IRDC for the rebuilding of the Ugborodo Cottage hospital,    which was burnt down during inter-ethnic crises.

Exonerating itself from the affairs of the communities, Chevron in an electronic mail by its Upstream Media Relations Advisor, Isabel Ordonez, said: “We do  not interfere in the internal affairs of communities  in the areas of its operations  including  Ugborodo.

Abandoned healthcare centre

“The company advises restraint,  respect for the rule of law and encourages constructive dialogue among the community members and other stakeholders to sustain enduring peace in the communities,” she said.

Unaware of abandoned project

Giving details of its operations in Ugborodo, the company’s General Manager for Policy Government and Public Affairs, Deji Haastrup said: “Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) is not aware of any abandoned project in Ugborodo and other surrounding communities under the IRDC.”

“We, however, are aware that some of the projects being implemented by the IRDC had reached advanced stages of completion and commissioning before the recent leadership crisis within the IRDC.

“Since the introduction of the GMoU, the model has delivered substantial sustainable development to Ugborodo community.   Through the GMoU, CNL has provided benefits to the Ugborodo community in the forms of employment, human capital development, educational and health infrastructure, scholarships, business capacity building, contracts among others. Between 2005 and 2015, CNL invested over N5billion in the IRDC,” he said.

IRDC determines expenditure

On how the funds were spent, Mr. Haastrup said: “The IRDC is at liberty to determine what it wants to use these funds for and it used part of these funds to provide 235 units of 2-bedroom housing, 1 Regional Development Committee (RDC) training centre, 2 integrated agricultural farms, a water project, a 510-meter concrete walkway, a health centre at Bateren, a cottage hospital at Gbokoda (and another planned for Madangho, Ugborodo), scholarships for thousands of Itsekiri students and other developmental projects.

“Under the GMoU, 56 units of 2-bedroom apartments were built at approximately N600 million in Ugborodo with about 392 beneficiaries (seven persons per unit), while 100 educational scholarships (40 tertiary and 60 secondary) are awarded to beneficiaries from Ugborodo community annually.”

Our landmark in   Ugborodo

Speaking further, he said: “During the construction phase of the EGTL project, over 60 percent of the 16,000 total Nigerian workforces was from Ugborodo community. A lot of Ugborodo indigenes are also employed in CNL’s operations in Escravos and other locations.”

“The mobile clinic provided by CNL (River Boat Clinic) delivers free medical services to 33 riverine communities, including Ugborodo, with an annual average of 30,000 beneficiaries. Since 2009 to date, CNL has spent about $15 million on this health programme.

“Contracts worth over $1 billion were awarded to 28 different contractors from the Ugborodo community on the Escravos Gas-to-Liquids (EGTL) project alone. Additionally, the Ugborodo community-sponsored catering company – JAD Catering Services – provides catering services to an average of 3,750 persons daily in the NNPC/CNL JV’s Escravos Terminal.

“Also, groups of elders and women from Ugborodo community regularly supply house boats on hire to our Escravos operations. Companies and individuals from Ugborodo community provide other marine and rolling equipment services such as tug boats,  speed boats, barges  and other types of vessels to the NNPC/CNL JV to support our joint venture and EGTL operations,” he stated.

Locals disagree

Faulting claims by the company, a former member of the IRDC representing Gbokoda, Jeffery Wilkie, said: “Yes there is a project for the building of a cottage hospital in Gbokoda, but the project has since been abandoned by the contractors.”

“While one of the contractors completed his job, his colleague failed to carry out his duty on the project. At the end of the day, the project was not completed.”

On the rebuilding of the Ugborodo cottage hospital, which the company claimed has gulped over N100 million, president, Ugborodo Graduate Association, Victor Udonju, said: “The hospital is still there in ashes after it was burnt, so I wonder where and how the N100 million was spent on the project.”

Ayiri clears air

Though the current IRDC chairman, Oti Edukugho, refused responding to enquires on the issue, former IRDC chairman, Chief Ayiri Emami , said: “All IRDC contractors have received mobilization fee for all projects being embarked on and if any IRDC project has been abandoned, that means the project did not meet up with the milestone for the project specification.”

“I can tell you categorically that all IRDC projects in Escravos have been completed and under my leadership as IRDC chairman, we were able to complete 56 unites of two and three- bedroom apartments which are due for commissioning.”