By Onozure Dania

The Indigenous people of Polobubo, the host community to Chrome Oil Nig Ltd, ELCREST Nig Ltd and National Petroleum Development Council, NPDC, in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, have called on the relevant government agencies saddled with the responsibility of protecting the rights of citizens to come to their aid and correct the injustice meted out on them by oil companies.

Director of Research and Development Polobubo Communities, who is also President General, Indigenous People of Niger Delta, Prince Tiemo Pumokumo, in a statement lamented that the three organisations have been cheating the community for many years and have failed to carry out their basic social responsibility to the community.

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He said, “The surveillance contract signed between Ocean Marine Limited and the Host Communities has expired. There is no EIA report for the present Dredging operations being done by Chrome Oil Nig Ltd,  ELCREST Nig ltd and NPDC. The ongoing dredging in the community is causing a lot of environmental degradation. There is no water supply to the communities which is supposed to be provided when such dredging operation is taken place, which has been going on for six months. Aquatic lives are being destroyed and source of livelihood of the community totally grounded.

“Eland/ELCREST/NPDC claimed to have sponsored cultural activities in the host communities which we know nothing about. The community has not gotten a “Kobo” from these companies for such purpose. The contract bidding process is not transparent and the host communities are not carried along according to the local content act and requirements.

”The companies have refused to pay any compensation for gas flare to the community for decades as ELCREST/ELAND and NPDC have refused to sign MOU with the host communities till date.

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“The soil deposits in any water-body has a certain pre-disposed composition. Through dredging this composition is altered and because of the said alteration, the existing habitat of creatures and organisms that depends on the original composition of the soil dies out due to the unfavourableness of the changes caused. The turbiness of the soil under the water also changes because of this alteration in the underwater soil composition.

“This poses problems by way of creation of newer and harmful organisms, transferring of unwanted organisms to other parts in the water-body leading to a wider spread of contamination and organic processes by way of release of extra and unwanted nutrients, the turbidness also causes the already existing contaminations to spread further into the water-body which also affects the marine environment adversely.

“In view of these, we want justice to be done as a matter of urgency to avoid restiveness in the community which may not be good for the companies and the community at large,” he added.

Vanguard