By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie

OWERRI —The Federal Government has promised that it would pay serious attention to oil producing communities of the Niger Delta region.

Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, made the promise, yesterday, in Owerri, when he paid a courtesy call on the Imo State chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Samuel Ohiri.

“It is time for the Federal Government to pay serious attention to the oil producing communities. These communities have very vibrant men and women, and that is why I am here in Imo to closely interact with all the leadership of the oil communities,” Osinbajo said.

While saying that the trip was part of the Federal Government’s plan to consult with stakeholders in the oil communities for the purpose of development, the Acting President also said it was time to bring federal presence to Imo State.

Chief Rochas Okorocha

The Acting President, who was not particularly happy with the myriad of complaints presented to him by his host and Governor Rochas Okorocha, promised to reverse the trend.

“It is time to bring federal projects to Imo State. Government is committed to ensuring that Imo gets all it requires to give its citizens the best,” Osinbajo said.

Marginalization of Ndigbo

Speaking earlier, Okorocha pleaded withOsinbajo to put an end to the marginalization of Ndigbo in the Nigerian project.

“The issue of marginalization and the song of marginalization will not be sang better by any other ethnic group than Ndigbo. We have nothing to show, as an entity and as part of Nigeria. There is no person to tell this now, if not you,” Okorocha said.

The governor appealed to Osinbajo to note that in the next dispensation, “our qualified sons and daughters should be considered,” pointing out that Ndigbo have those who worked hard for the development of the country.

“Let me also tell you that Imo State played a very big role in stabilizing the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the South-East geo-political zone,” Okorocha said.

Welcoming the Acting President to his palace, Eze Ohiri pleaded with Osinbajo to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate how the funds appropriated for the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, was utilized in the past.

“We are aware that the Federal Government was giving out money to NDDC to execute projects in the oil bearing communities, but we want government to set up a panel to critically investigate how the monies were spent”, Ohiri said.

Imo indigenes react

Some prominent Imolites, who bared their minds on Osinbajo’s visit said there were a number of things they would have brought to the visitor’s knowledge, if they had the opportunity to speak directly to him.

For Professor Francis Dike, SAN, “there is so much to complain about, in this state. Imo State is gradually degenerating into anarchy. If I had the opportunity to speak to Osinbajo, I would have passionately appealed to him to compel the state government to obey the order of court. Nobody is truly happy at the way court orders are flagrantly flouted by the state government.”

In his reaction, Mr Amaugo Ugorji complained that the people were passing through “bad governance.”

“All the structures that make for good governance, have either been destabilized or completely destroyed. The local government system is today moribund. The situation has demoralised the people and human development has suffered tremendously,” Ugorji lamented.

While saying that “it will take years to right the wrongs of the present administration,” Ugorji also fumed that most of the uncompleted projects had no bearing to the economic emancipation of the citizenry.”

“Money spent on the white elephant projects, if properly invested in profitable economic ventures, could have put food on several people’s table”, Architect Ugorji said.