By Jimitota Onoyume, Warri

 Delta state government  on Wednesday responded to appeals by Polobubo/Tsekelewu community, Warri-north local government area  for intervention to cushion the effect of flood  displacing  many residents

Delta State Government

Thanking the state government for the timely intervention after the community cried out on Monday this week  in the Vanguard and some other  newspapers,  President Polobubo/Tsekelewu National Council , PNC, Mr Ebilate Mac-Yoroki said the government should not stop at sending relief materials to the area, pleading that it should prevail on Chevron to block the channel it  dug from the  ocean  to the community, saying this will redress the flood problem they had been suffering since the channel was dug.

“We thank the governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and his team in the executive council, for this response, we are especially delighted that it is coming swiftly.

However, we are asking that this intervention should not stop with relief materials, but they should go on to prevail on Chevron to correct this environmental error, which has brought so much pain, discomfort and deaths to Polobubo; they should block the channel they dug from the ocean into our community and dredge our so badly silted waterways.

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This is the most urgently needed intervention, after which other remediation can follow”, he said.

The community further enjoined the federal government to also give the area attention, noting that it contributes substantially to the oil and gas economy of the Nigerian state.

“We also call on the federal government to take the suffering of Polobubo/Tsekelewu people and their environment more seriously, we are contributing immensely to the national economy, through the huge quantum of crude oil being extracted from our soil.

The federal government, we want, among other things, canalization of our waterways, land reclamation, foreshore protection, the construction of the trans-Egbema Road from Ogboinbiri- Ogbudugbudu to Polobubo and Opuama.

The federal government should compel oil companies to connect Polobubo and Opuama with the light and water they’re using in their platform or stations around us”, Mac-Yoroki said.