Abuja – The House of Representatives on Thursday called on the National Council for Museum and Monuments to declare the Oloibiri oil well a national monument.

It urged the Federal Executive Council and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to develop Oloibiri oil well one site into a training centre for petroleum and tourism related activities.

The  crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in 1956 in Oloibiri, Bayelsa.

This resolution emanated from a motion moved by Rep. Karibo Ndu (PDP-Bayelsa) which was unanimously adopted.

Ndu noted that the communities were abandoned after the exploitation of oil in commercial quantity without any meaningful development.

According to him, the oil well is of utmost significance in the history and economy of the country.

He said that the council had declared the old residency in Calabar, Sango shrine, King Jaja’s statue in Rivers state, among others as national monuments.

The motion was referred to the House Committee on Culture and Tourism for further legislative inputs.

Similarly, the House has urged the Federal Ministry of Works to commence the process of awarding contract for the reconstruction of the Aba-Ikot Epkene and Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene roads.

This was sequel to a motion moved by Rep. Saviour Udoh (PDP-Akwa Ibom) which was unanimously adopted with debate.

Leading the debate, Udoh said that the roads had been in a deplorable state due to total neglect by government.

“The roads have been causing daily and frequent mishaps which have severally resulted in the loss of lives and property,’’he said.

He noted that economic  and social activities within the South East, South South and North Central geopolitical zones were being hampered due to the deplorable state of the roads.

“These roads are now impassable and it has become impossible to undertake smooth journeys on them,’’he said.

The motion was referred to the committee on works.(NAN)