PRESIDENT-General of Oviri-Olomu community, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State,  Olorogun John Ewenede, has said there was no crisis in the community over discovery of oil and land ownership.

Olorogun Ewenede, responding to the claim, said: “Whoever that is saying that there is crisis in Oviri Olomu over the discovery of oil and land ownership is a man that is fanning the embers of crisis, I make bold to say so.”

Fabricated distress

“I learnt of the fake alarm raised by one Pius Edariese, a man of over 65 years old. Last week, there was a general meeting of all sons and daughters of Oviri Olomu. In attendance was Pius Edariese, who was the representative of Edariese Efedama, he represented the interest of the Edariese family in that meeting.

The agenda of the meeting was to identify all the land owners in the said oil location site. In the presence of all who attended the meeting, nine families were identified.

25-man c’ttee to verify ownership

“In order to get a proper solution to the ownership issue, a committee was set up to that effect.

The committee has two members each from the nine landowner families as representatives in the committee, making a total of 18 from there. Two members each from the two major quarters in Oviri Olomu were chosen, that is two from Eyezuvwu from where Edariese hails and two from Aruodo quarter to make 22 members.

“Three members were chosen from the Central Working Committee of the community to make a total of a 25-man committee, the mandate of the committee is to visit the oil site and ascertain each and every family member’s boundary with proof of ownership, and the committee is to report back to the community.

they invited us, I went but he refused to appear. That is why this time around, I will not take it lightly with him,” he added.