Iwhrekan, a host community to West Africa’ s largest gas plant at Otorogun in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, has accused the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, of marginalisation.

Delta

In a petition to the Presidency written by an Ovwian based law firm, B N Okpuzor & Co titled:  A Call For An End To The Continued Marginalization And Oppression Of Iwhrekan Community ” , on the request of its client, Oghenechovwen Sunday Kpekpe ( who is the financial secretary of the community), dated 19th November, 2018, made available to the press , the community alleged amongst other things that some officials of the said company have been using divide and rule method to breed factions amongst leaders to their advantage.

The community also alleged that there has been  absence of public electricity supply in the past two years while ” the facility (gas plant) has light all the time but the indigenes languish in utter darkness without electricity supply”.

The community therefore noted in the petition that the alleged  unfriendly attitude of the company is building tension amongst the people of the community particularly the youths, ” the chairman and other officials of the community have been trying to calm the youths and angry women down but tempers are rising by the day.

The community therefore urged the company to stop depriving  them of benefits she is entitled to, allow the authentic representatives of the community free and unhindered rights to represent the community.

All efforts by our reporter to get to the company for its  reaction to the  allegations proved abortive.