By Lucky Oji
Comrade Timi Oluba, is an Ijaw youth leader from Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South local government area of Delta State.

Oluba, outgoing vice chairman of Okoyitoru community and opinion leader in Makaraba oilfield being operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited, in this interview accuses the oil giant, Chevron of neglecting   Okoyitoru and Makaraba communities.

Most oil producing communities in Niger Delta have been complaining of marginalization by oil companies, is it so in Gbaramatu kingdom?

To be honest with you, the entire Niger Delta region is an abandoned territory in Nigeria. Evidently, it appears to be a deliberate plan or conspiracy not to develop the region despite our revenue contribution to the economy of the country.

Every single oil producing community in Niger Delta is underdeveloped and that is why the oil communities in Niger Delta are still complaining because the oil multinationals operating in the region are only concerned about making their profits, while the oil producing communities and the people are subjected to hunger and sufferings.

To answer your question, it is so in my community,  Okoyitoru. You will be surprised that the situation in Okoyitoru and Makaraba communities is worst because Chevron Nigeria limited that is operating in my area,  Makaraba oilfield, estimated to be producing approximately over 40,000 barrel of crude oil per day are the most neglected and underdeveloped communities in Niger Delta, sincerely, Chevron has not been fair to our communities.

Are you insinuating that Chevron has never done anything to develop your communities?

You are free to take a trip to Okoyitoru and Makaraba communities, which make up the   Makaraba oilfield. These are communities producing over 40,000 barrel of crude oil per day over the years but as I speak with you there is no light, no internal roads, no potable drinking water, no hospital not even a good school and shelters.

We have done a documentary on it which we are going to air very soon for the world and federal government to see how Chevron has over the years impoverished our people and communities. More worrisome is the fact that even unskilled job, ordinary cleaners Chevron will not employ our people, rather Chevron employ cleaners outside Delta state and send them in to work.

Anytime I visits my community, I feel pity for my people, because as a major oil producing community we ought not be lacking the social amenities that I mentioned earlier, it is a shame on Chevron for failure to develop our communities.

I challenge Chevron to publish the daily oil production from Okoyitoru and Makaraba communities since inception of its operations in Makaraba oilfield and the developmental projects Chevron has executed to better the lives of the people.

Honestly, I know Chevron will not publish such. In as much I understands that Chevron is a profit-making private company, it should not make profit   to the detriment of owners of the oil. We are the owners of the oil, and Chevron wouldn’t have being operating in our communities without the oil, so, our communities must be fully developed by Chevron.

Why is Chevron not in Kano State, probably because there is no oil to exploits or explore in Kano state. Therefore, it is simple and mandatory that the development of our communities producing the oil must be the priority of Chevron for that is the only reason why Chevron is operating in the area and also making profits.

What I know is that Chevron cannot deny all I have been saying. how can just two small communities producing that large quantity of oil daily   do not have electricity light, no internal roads, no potable drinking water, no hospital no School and good shelters for the residents in the community.

We have said it severally that Chevron should leave our communities because they cannot be freely taking our oil and not doing anything to develop our communities, it is inhuman and condemnable.

Any moment from now we are taking Chevron to Court on this matter because the federal government need to review its joint partnership with Chevron. The federal government must do an urgent assessment on how its joint partnership with Chevron has benefited the oil producing communities, this is very important to demonstrate that the federal government is ready and willing to provide lasting solution to the problems in Niger Delta.

But how about the Gmou signed by Chevron and Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation to develop its host communities?

Yes, there is an existing Global Memorandum of Understanding between Chevron and Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, in which Chevron provides money annually for the development of its host communities in the two kingdoms of   Egbema and Gbaramatu respectively.

The Foundation, is presently led by Chief Michael Johnny, and from all indications the money released or giving to the foundation by Chevron annually is less than 2% of Chevron’s weekly profits, how do you describe that.

Since the establishment of Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, the funds its has gotten from Chevron is meager when compared to the oil taken so far by Chevron, infact, Chevron as a company has failed in its corporate social responsibilities to the communities. We want Chevron to leave our communities for another better company that will develop our communities.

It will amazed you that the   Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation presently led by   Chief Michael Johnny is grossly under funded, the foundation should be given N3billion annually by Chevron for the foundation to be able to embark on real development of the oil communities in the two kingdoms. Finally, it seems the Gmou was initiated to shortchange both the foundation and our communities, the GMoU must be reviewed now.