Complete abandoned projects, Gbaramatu tells NDDC

Communities in Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State have called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to complete abandoned projects in the area.

Chairman of Kokodiagbene community, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, who made the call on behalf of other communities, specifically called on the commission to complete the abandoned sand filling/reclamation projects in the kingdom.

Mulade, in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Warri, claimed that all NDDC projects in Gbaramatu kingdom had been abandoned since the beginning of the Tompolo saga.

He said the projects were community development projects and, therefore, should not be linked to  Tompolo’s case.

“It will interest the public to note that Gbaramatu communities are major contributors to the NDDC allocation.

“Gbaramatu is host to over eight flowstations with production capacity of about 700, 000 barrels per day, therefore, deserves special attention,” the environment activist averred.

Comrade Mulade listed the abandoned projects to include Kokodiagbene sand filling/reclamation project, Benikrukru sand filling/ reclamation project, Kurutie sand filling/ reclamation project, Okerenkoko sand filling/reclamation project, Okpelama/Tebujoj sand filling/reclamation project, among others.

According to him, “these projects were  deliberately abandoned for reasons best known to NDDC which we consider as bias against the kingdom.

“It is sad to note that Gbaramatu kingdom, particularly Kokodiagbene, which is a major oil and gas bearing host and the mother host community to Jones Creeks flowstation, the single largest oil producing field in West Africa with capacity of over 250,000 barrels per day, suffers from environmental degradation, loss of economic livelihoods, pollution and spills emanating from continued oil and gas exploitation.”

Mulade, therefore, appealed to all relevant government agencies to compensate Gbaramatu communities with tangible  projects.