In fulfillment of my earlier promise, this topic which began last week will be concluded this week. To refresh to get the memory of readers who may not have had the opportunity of going through last Thursday’s commentary, my views centred on the perceived marginalization and maltreatment of oil producing areas by the present administration in Imo State.
My write-up stems from the fact that despite the huge amount generated by the state from Federal Government through the 13% oil derivation allocation, the two respective LGAs, Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta are witnessing untold hardship in the hands of present day slave drivers and imperialist missioners masquerading as Rescue Missioners. Irrespective of their acclaimed rebuilding of Imo, the people of the two affected areas are yet to feel the impact of their famed Rescue Mission, thereby suggesting that the oil producing areas may be “war captives” or “outcasts” in the Imo family.
Sometime in September last year, a natural disaster occurred within Oguta and Ohaji/Egbema which caused flood over a reasonable percent of the area. The residents especially Abacheke, Mmahu, Opuoma, Ezi Orsu, Orsu Obodo and Oguta main town experienced unprecedented flood that submerged the communities. While relevant federal government agencies and representatives from Abuja as well as multi-national companies came to their rescue with relief materials and cash donations, the state government turned its back to victims from the Egbema end.
It was only a day to the visit of the Federal Government delegation led by the Vice-President Namadi Sambo, that the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha considered it necessary to know the area ravaged by flood in Egbema. Moments after the VP left and the FG released N400m to state purse as part of Imo share to cushion the effects of flood to victims; the state government turned its back to affected victims and communities.
It was only when the affected persons went to court challenging the manner the state government was handling FG’s N400m that the government was forced out of it shelve. In utmost disregard to the feelings of the affected Egbema and Ohaji flood victims, the state raised a committee for the victims without a representative from the affected area except for political office holders from Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta who were ordinary members of the committee whereas cabinet officials from other areas took charge as Chairman and Secretary. Contrary to expectations, people from the affected areas were not considered in decision making prompting them to move to high court to get an interim injunction restraining the state government from tampering with the N400m fund. Even as the matter is still in court, government went ahead with indiscriminate disbursement of the fund. Till date, the scars of last year’s flood are still evergreen in the memories of the people as the state government is unshaken over the plights of the victims.
Few years ago, a vital bureau, Bureau for Niger Delta Affairs existed in the state. The Bureau was a creation of a motion by the lawmaker who represented Oru West State Constituency in the past, Hon Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba requesting for the creation of a government agency to interface between the state and Federal Government’s Niger Delta Ministry. Following the synergy between oil producing states and Niger Delta Ministry which extends projects to the affected states, the need to have a Bureau for Niger Delta Affairs for Imo government was advanced which the immediate past Governor gave accent and created with a Special Adviser who hails from the oil producing area of the state in charge. Within that era, the Bureau joined to attract and cater for ongoing Niger Delta Ministry projects like the Obinze Umuokanne Mgbuisi and Umuapu-bye-pass, the Umuapu-Ihie-Obitti-Awarra-Assa Etekwuru Obokohia-Ekugba-Shell location road as well the mini housing estate and skills acquisition centre building going on at Umuagwo-Ohaji and Abaezi Egbema towns respectively.
The Bureau was a stop-gap between the state government and FG especially the Niger Delta Ministry in ensuring speedy completion of the projects. Also, the Bureau was responsible for liaising between ex-militants of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta extraction and the Niger Delta post amnesty committee. Within that era, the interest of repentant militants were properly accommodated and given the desired attention like ex-agitators from other Niger Delta states.
But the fortunes of the ex-militants and the multi-million naira road, educational and housing projects embarked by the Niger Delta Ministry have turned sour, no thanks to the indifference approach applied by the present administration with respect to the plights of oil producing areas of Imo state. Instead of retaining the Special Adviser cadre, Okorocha
