The Opoti/Akaliwari families, in Akumoni-Okordia Clan, in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa, have urged the state government, to prevail on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), to construct road.
King Ezi Alubiri, former Paramount Ruler of Akumoni-Okordia community, stated this on Monday, during meeting with Mr Morris Alagoa, the Deputy Director Environmental Defender’s Network/Technical Adviser to the Gov. on Environment.
He appealed to the Bayelsa government to urge shell to construct road to link it location through Okordia than going through communities in Rivers State.
According to him, “In 1970s Ubie 10 Oil Well was discovered then we were under Rivers, but now we are in Bayelsa state Yenagoa LGA, we want shell to construct road that will pass through our community to their location which is on our land.
“We have written several letters to Shell, Commissioner for Environment, the Governor, commissioner, Natural Resources, Oil and Gas Commissioner, LGA Chairman, but to no avail.
“We are inviting shell to come and hold town hall meeting with us, see our grievances, and our benefits that should be given to us.
“Right now as I am talking, not everyone in the community are loyal, some are arrogant and we do not want anything crisis.
“From now before the rig will come to the site, they have to come sit with us, we equally calling on Bayelsa government to call shell to order and let them do the right thing,” he said.
On his part, Jacob Bunata, member of Akaliwari family, said that the oil well is in Bayelsa community but the Rivers community, is the one benefiting more because of the road to the location is close to them.
He appealed to the Bayelsa governor to direct shell to do the needful for the sake of peace among them.
In his response, Alagoa, said he had received several calls from the community, an listen to them on phone I felt looking back with the experiences.
“We had in communities around Bayelsa and the Niger Delta, especially in Okordia. I felt I should come to hear an give them the platform to express themselves to the government.
“Shell which is at the centre of this issue to hear and we have had them. They have written letters about how distress they are for an oil well that is suppose to be in Okordia Akumoni, in there family land.
“But it’s been access through communities in Rivers State, they feel that some benefits are still going to the communities, their complains are germin.
“I think since they have express themselves written letters to Govt. Shell, we fill that shell and govt. should respond to them, because we have had it here in Okordia Clan, not ones or twice.
“Now that we are still looking at the Bayelsa oil and environmental commission report, talking about how polluted Bayelsa state environment is.
“How we are thinking how to get proper clean up, compensation and remediation, of the polluted environment.
“We want to ensure that any other thing that tends further pollution is prevented that is my main reason of coming here,” he said.
