Let Us Synergise To Rebuild Ekpeye Ethnic Nation, EOG Urges Elite, Traditional Institutions
2 min read
Oyagiri Chime
The National Chairman of Ekpeye Oil and Gas Pipelines Host Families Association(EOG), Comrade Dogini Chidi has called on the elite and traditional institutions to synergise to rebuild the ethnic nation and place it on same pedestal with its contemporaries.
Dogini made the call during a media briefing on Thursday, October 1, 2020, at the EOG national secretariat, Ahoada, adding that only a united voice of the people can change the narrative. He said Ekpeye has what it takes to be reckoned with as one of the greatest ethnic nationalities in the entire country if the abundant potentials is properly harnessed.
He pointed out that a lot of anomalies have occurred in the land without any overt reaction from any body or group, as a result, the supposed corporate tenants take the people for granted, instead of doing the right things to ameliorate the hardship and environmental hazards occasioned by their oil and gas exploitation activities.
According to him, “Some months back, there was a reported land tremor in some communities in Ekpeye land, the oil spill at Idu Ekpeye has not been cleaned, but nobody is saying anything.
“Ogbele community does not have a motorable road, no light but it is hosting a refinery that is making million of dollars on daily basis. Ironically, the practice is not same in other climes.
“I can reel out more and more woes that the people are suffering without any hope in sight. An ethnic nation hosting about five multi-national oil companies, but is lacking in all social amenities. I think we have had enough.”
The EOG helmsman explained that the group has no sinister motives as peddled by agents of destabilization sponsored by the companies. He stressed that the group is out to add more values to the traditional Institutions stakes and to be the ‘gadfly’ for the elites.
He assured that more benefits would come from the activities of the group as attested to what is already being witnessed.
“The recent training forms distributed by NLNG to host families cum communities, empowerment grants are released due to our efforts. More grants are currently been processed,” he revealed.
He warned the companies to start doing the needful, that the era of taking the people for granted has passed, adding that commensurate legal actions will be taken for every negligence that exposes the people environmentally, socially, medically or otherwise.
He called on the youths to shun all negativism and embrace the coming changes, adding that development and choas do not work ‘pari pasu’.
Other national officers of the group present were; Comrade Kenneth Itigwe General Secretary, Amb. Ijeoma Okpara PRO, Benniah Dickson Youth Leader and Shiekh Abdulraziq Echeya an environmental activist and media officers of the body.
