Flood: IOCs have abandoned us, Bayelsa monarchs lament

Traditional leaders in Bayelsa State have refuted claims that the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and its Joint Venture (JV) partners has delivered food and essential commodities to communities affected by flood in Bayelsa States.

Addressing journalists in Yenagoa, the chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council and Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, King Bubaraye Dakolo (AGADA IV), said that the report that NAOC made the donations to 260 communities in River, Bayelsa, Delta and Imo State is not only false but a figment of their imagination.

Speaking further, he said that the flood water has not only exposed the insincerity of International Oil Companies (IOCs) but the negligence of the Federal Government towards oil producing states that were ravaged by the flood.

Lamenting further King Dakolo said “we also need not reiterate that our kingdoms and clans, our flood ravaged kingdoms and clans, constitute crude oil blocs owned by persons and business concerns which regrettably, we do not own.

“Even though the gas flares are still burning-hot in our kingdoms despite the overwhelming floodwaters, today’s press conference would border on a subject that may not seem connected to oil and gas beyond the oil and gas monies used for governance.

“I am referring to monies with which to provide succour and welfare for the teeming number of Bayelsans who are internally displaced citizens of Nigeria, having been ravaged by the most devastating flood ever.

“We the royal fathers of Bayelsa State, have observed that not only did the 2022 flood unleash unprecedented havoc in Bayelsa State and beyond, it also opened the floodgates of ignorance on the subject of the misery floodwaters could unleash on a people who live on the flat arcuate lowlands adjacent the mighty Atlantic Ocean.

“We believe, and strongly so, that the misinformation we have been confronted with this season, may have directly led to the observed extremely slow, and almost shameful response by statutory agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the plight of the over one million victims of the 2022 flood disaster in Bayelsa State.

“Giving the wrong public perception of this year’s flood which is unarguably the worst ever to occur in the lives of the Ijaws of Bayelsa State, and perhaps others too, it has become absolutely necessary for the Royal Fathers of the State to speak out loud, so as to straighten the crooked records, and above all, jolt all concerned to do the work for which they are paid.

“We did not mince words in condemning the complete absence of agents of statutory Federal Government Agencies and Ministries saddled with the job of rendering assistance in our domains at times such as these. Rather we were seeing oil workers in their coveralls safe in their shuttles, going about their greasy, oily business, all over our flood ravaged State.

“Pitiably there is no evidence yet about any intervention from the oil industry to the flood ravaged people of Bayelsa State also. Could it be that they also wished us all dead? Well, being natural swimmers, though distressed and displaced like never before, most us are still alive!

“While this type of calamity had never befallen our people, we had never imagined that this degree of extreme insensitivity and lack of interest would be displayed with respect to the survival and welfare of our peace people who are all fellow citizens of this great country for all to see at a time like this. So brazenly ugly!”

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