‘We Give Nigeria Light, Yet Remain In Darkness With Only Prisons As FG Presence’: Gas Producing Ndokwa Land Makes A 12 Point Demand On Govt
The Oasis Reporters
August 5, 2024
Photo credit: Damian Mike
NDOKWA PATRIOTS ADVANCEMENT FORUM (NPAF)
www.ndokwaforum.org
info@ndokwaforum.org
07086837986
Ndokwa’s 12 Points Demand On Government
A Preamble:
Ndokwa is a geopolitical space made up of Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, and Ukwuani LGAs of Delta State; an entity otherwise called the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, which is peopled by the Ukwuani and the Ndosimili Ethnic Nationalities of Delta State. All three LGAs of Ndokwa are oil and gas producing, and serves as host to over 10 multinational and indigenous oil and gas Companies such as Agip, OPAC Refinery, Pillar Oil, Chorus Energy Ltd, Ashvinakak Hydrocarbon Ltd, SEEPCO Ltd, Platform Petroleum Ltd, Midwestern Oil and Gas Ltd, Power Gas, Energia Ltd, and Xenergi (now Nedogas) Ltd, among others.
Ndokwa has one of the largest gas reserves in West Africa and presently hosts the 930mw Okpai Independent Power Plant (IPP) 1 & 2 Projects; the 300MMscfd Kwale Gas Gathering & Injection Facility (KGGIF); the 125MMscfd Ashvinakak Gas processing facility; the NNPC/SEEPCO 650mw Independent Power Plant, and many other major gas projects on the drawing board.
With all these massive contributions to the sustenance of our national economy, the only Federal Government presence in Ndokwa land is hitherto the Prisons in Kwale, and until last year, the yet to take-off Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences in Kwale. The Setlor Oil and Gas Companies have persistently turned their backs on the Ndokwa people among other deprivations.
In the midst of these woes, the recent activities of the Federal Government in Ndokwa land with regard to the on streaming of some oil and gas projects have shocked and grossly undermined the Ndokwa Ethnic Nationalities and most painfully our Traditional Rulers and Institutions.
These ill-treatments from the Government and the Setlor Oil and Gas Companies orchestrated the NDOKWA COMMITTEE FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT (NC4GD)’s recently initiated Emergency Meetings of all Ndokwa Sociopolitical Organizations, wherein the following resolutions were strongly agreed upon for release by the NDOKWA PATRIOTS ADVANCEMENT FORUM (NPAF) to the general Public, and in particular to the Federal Government, and to all Oil and Gas Companies operating in Ndokwa land.
B. Resolutions
(1) That the recent visits of Mr President and other Federal Government Functionaries to Kwale and Okpai to commission some oil and gas industry projects were carried out without any regard, courtesy visits nor traditional deference of a private Invitation to our Traditional Rulers. This no doubt speaks volumes about the abysmal loath and neglect always visited on us by the Federal Government, and the Oil and Gas Companies domiciled in Ndokwa. This couldn’t have happened elsewhere without dire consequences for internal peace and stability.
(2) The Government’s neglect and ill-treatments of the Oil and Gas producing Ukwuani and Ndosimili Ethnic Nationalities have been such that no Ndokwa (Ukwuani and Ndosimili) indigenes have ever been appointed a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria nor as Chief Executive Officers of any Federal Parastatals or Agencies.
The interventionist Agency called NDDC or the Presidential Amnesty Programme holds no presence in Ndokwa, whether in terms of Management personnel of Ndokwa extraction, nor in the provision of infrastructure facilities, and educational scholarships.
These neglects have become so institutionalized that Ndokwa would no longer tolerate them if we must allow Government and the Settlor Oil and Gas Companies to continue to appropriate our God given hydrocarbon resources.
(3) In a slave – master relationship, the slave only perceives the aroma of his cook while the master enjoys the delicacy. This is the plight of the Ndokwa people wherein the 480mw Okpai IPP phase 1, which is now having a phase 2 of 430mw, supplies electricity to the national grid that serves from Obosi in Anambra State to Abuja in the FCT while its host, the Ndokwa Communities remains in total darkness as the 33kva Step-down works in Kwale have remained comatose since 2021.
Also, the LPG Plant by SEEPCO has been delivering 700,000mt daily to fuel over 30% of the transition energy needs of the Nigerian economy, yet no visible developmental impacts on Ndokwa and its people. We would not allow this slave treatment to continue.
(4) The yearly flooding of Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West LGAs owing to the overflow of the River Niger that ravages our habitats and farmlands, and sending our people into IDP Camps, has become worrisome and hopeless such that we suffer and lament as Stateless people who have no government to protect their environment.
We say NO to this irksome plight, and call on the Federal Government to urgently take steps to dredge the River Niger along Ndokwa coastlines.
This is not asking for too much for a multi billion dollar oil and gas generating people whose homes, crops and means of livelihood are being destroyed by the perennial floods.
This also brings to bear the urgent need for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to provide appropriations in the next budget circle of 2025 for the Drainage and Channelization of the Iyiagor – Edengbu – Umuodagwe – Umuonowu Canal at Okwele-Abbi, Ndokwa West LGA, with the design work and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) survey already completed since 2022.
(5) We also call on the Federal Government to facilitate the construction of the Federal Ministry of Works (FMW) and NDDC designed Coastal Road, traversing 15 oil and gas producing Communities of Asaba Oko – Abala – Utchi – Okpai – Abalagada – Aboh – Akarai – Umoru – Adiai – Oworubia – Onyah – Ase – Abari – Patani, to enable these Ndokwa East to Ijaw Coastal Communities have a sense of national belonging.
We also wish to remind the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs of the need to resume the construction of the long abandoned Ndemili – Utagba Uno – Ogume – Abbi – Orogun – Kokori Road, which connects a vast area of oil and gas producing and bearing Communities of Delta State.
(6) As substantial Contributors to the wealth of this great Country, we urge the Federal Government to extend rail tracks and services to Ndokwa land to ease human, oil and gas equipment movements in the region.
The toil of moving heavy equipment on our fragile roads for oil and gas production purposes has become increasingly worrisome with our roads remaining in deplorable and impassable conditions all year round.
(7) We call on the Government to prevail on the Oil and Gas Companies, especially the multinationals operating in Ndokwa Region to be responsible Corporate Citizens in strictly complying with, and discharging their statutory obligations to their Host Communities as required under the PIA and NCDMB Act among other extant Laws and Regulations.
Employment of Ndokwa indigenes across all cadres, and our local content additions, as well as development of Host Communities within the oil and gas Industry, should not be matters for Corporate Board Room politics while the Government idly watches these Setlor Companies in their determined bid to perpetuate our sufferings.
(8) In line with the preceding paragraph, we call on the Management of SEEPCO Limited to urgently recall and reinstate the over 200 staff members of Ndokwa extraction recently relieved of their jobs and replaced with Indians for no just cause other than that they are Ndokwa indigenes. Our Leaders have been prevailing on the protesting youths to yield room for dialogue in the hope that SEEPCO would heed the voice of reason and corporate social responsibility, otherwise the Company should be held responsible for any breach of the peace that may result from their unperturbed stance.
(9) We demand an urgent review of the quantum rating of the petroleum production attributable to Ndokwa land.
This has for many decades held us down in poverty and at the bottom of the development index within the national, regional and state levels.
Ndokwa had an ascribed 9% oil and gas production quantum about 30yrs ago when the NAOC (Agip) Ltd was the only Oil Company operating in Ndokwa Region. Since then, over 10 Oil and Gas producing Companies, including Agip have been doing massive businesses in the area, yet our production quantum has remained the same 9% rating. The implication of this is that only 9% of the accruable revenue to oil and gas Host Communities in Delta State are purportedly spent in Ndokwa.
The NDDC and the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) apply this emasculative scale in their developmental attitude towards Ndokwa, which makes their impact virtually non-existent in our endowed Region.
We therefore call on Mr President to direct the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and all relevant Agencies of Government to urgently review Ndokwa’s rating of petroleum production quantum to enable us access our rightful entitlements.
(10) We hereby urge His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to act as a caring father towards the long deprived and suffering people of the Ndokwa Ethnic Nationalities of Delta State by resolving the foregoing complaints that are threatening the existence of a peaceful and non-militant people, who are strategically and meaningfully contributing to the wealth of this great Country.
In this regard, the Government and the Oil and Gas Setlors are enjoined to engage Ndokwa NGOs as Watchdogs and Monitors for the implementation of all statutory obligations and developmental projects in Ndokwa.
(11) In the light of the ongoing Constitutional Review Exercise and political discourses, we join the NDOKWA NEKU UNION (NNU), our apex Sociocultural Organization to plead with Mr President and All Well Meaning Nigerians to consider and yield to our long standing agitations for an ‘NDOKWA STATE’ Creation. The Area known as Ndokwa has all it takes to stand and prosper as a viable State.
It must also be stated that while a sister Old Administrative Division in Delta State has 6 LGAs and 2 Federal Constituencies, the old Aboh Administrative Division, now Ndokwa, has only 3 LGAs lumped into a single Federal Constituency. The said Sister Old Division in Delta State and our Old Aboh Division have always been at par in terms of population and size, but unjust political redistricting and gerrymandering have seen our old Aboh Division (Ndokwa) grossly marginalized into half the political influence and relevance that the said Sister Old Division presently enjoys. More painful is the fact that many of these Old Administrative Divisions in Nigeria that have better political prospects in terms of greater number of LGAs and Electoral Constituencies, cannot compare with what Ndokwa brings to the table for Nigeria. It is indeed sad, and often, goes the saying that conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal it. Nigeria needs to urgently heal Ndokwa of its severe wounds and ceaseless bleedings.
(12) Finally, and to the Oil and Gas Companies in Ndokwa, we passionately sue not to have our will tested as Corporate provocation can be a defence in Law. Enough is enough, please !
SIGNED
(1) HRH Friday Abaja
The Ukwata 1 of Umukwata Kingdom.
(For Ukwuani Traditional Rulers).
(2) HRM Isaac P. U. Obi
The Oduosa of Utagba Ogbe Kingdom.
(For Ndokwa West Traditional Rulers).
(3) HRM Fred Egbunkonye
Igwe of Abala Kingdom.
(For Ndokwa East Traditional Rulers).
(4) Chief Ossai Udom
(Leader of the Forum).
(5) Hon Nnamdi Ezechi
(Member House of Reps, Ndokwa/Ukwuani Fed Constituency).
(6) Hon Barr Ozegbe S. Ogokuni
(Coordinating Secretary).
(7) Chief Chuks Onyemulu,fca
(President of Ukwuani Foundation Union).
(8) Dr Titus Obiorah
(President of Ndosimili Development Association).
(9) Mr Sam Enudi
(Representative of Ndokwa in Diaspora).
(10) Barr Malachy Ugwummadu
(Legal Adviser).
(11) Rt Hon Dr Ossai N Ossai
(Political Adviser).
(12) Prof Mrs Adaobi Patricia Ugbomeh
(Representative of Ndokwa Women).
(13) Prof Mrs Julie Nwabogo Umukoro
(Protocol Advisor).
(14) Mr Joachim Ndego
(Youths Representative).
(15) Engr Friday Otutu
(Technical Consultant).
(16) Engr Ike Onyenokwe
(Industry Consultant).
(17) Mrs Eunice Pen-Ogbolu
(Representative of Ndokwa Women in Diaspora).
(18) Sir Ken Okolugbo
(Spokesperson).
(19) Faith Nwadishi
(Civil Society Representative).
(20) Rear Admiral Dickson Olisemenegor (rtd.)
(Critical Stakeholder).
(21) Chief Engr Tony Ezeukwu
(Critical Stakeholder).
(22) Prof Bernard Ejechi
(Critical Stakeholder).
(23) Prof Amaziah Walter Otunyo
(Critical Stakeholder).
(24) Chief Henry Okechukwu
(Critical Stakeholder).
(25) Dr Austin Onyekweli
(Critical Stakeholder).
(26) Ogbuefi Martins Ezenwiwe
(Critical Stakeholder).
(27) Prof Abigail Ogwezzy Ndisika,
(Representative of the Academia).
(28) Chief Ajieh Ogwu
President General of Aboh Kingdom
(Representative of Ndokwa East CDCs).
(29) Mr Sunday Enewuzo
President General of Emu Kingdom
(Representative of Ndokwa West CDCs).
(30) Chief (Surv) Ben Oshionya
President General of Umutu Dev. Union
(Representative of Ukwuani CDCs.
