By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT— THE  people of oil-rich Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local government area, ONELGA, in Rivers State, have decried the neglect of the area by government and oil multinationals doing business in the area and issued a 14-day ultimatum to government and oil companies to begin practical moves to address the anomalies or face unpleasant consequences.

Briefing newsmen, yesterday, at Omoku, headquaters of the local government area, Chairman, ONELGA Stakeholders Forum, Chief Nelson Ekperi, said the area, with 507 oil wells, 13 oil fields and four oil mining leases, had remained in deplorable and sad state since oil exploration activities commenced in the area.

They said the ultimatum was also extended to Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, saying, “We request that both the Rivers State and Federal Governments should produce a blue print to develop ONELGA   as a mega city. We, therefore, issue another 14 days ultimatum to address our issues, as we may be forced to do the needful at the expiration of this ultimatum.”

Among other things the communities demanded the development of the area into a mega-city, calling also for dualization of Ahoada – Omoku-Ebocha-Egbema road with street lights.

They equally called on Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, to site its proposed refinery in the area, noting “We forbid the mentioning of any other place outside ONELGA  for the refinery project because our natural resources shall no longer be used to develop other areas to the detriment of ONELGA.”