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The oil producing communities in Owaza has bemoaned the crass neglect and abandonment by the oil companies. The communities comprising Igiriukwu, Umudobia, Isiriukwu, have complained bitterly of the negative impact of oil exploration in their domains ranging from; high mortality rate, loss of means of livelihood occasioned by pollution of their fishing rivers, earth tremor caused by despoliation of their environment by the activities of Shell petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC).
In their separate submissions,some their leaders emphatically noted that the operations of the oil firms left them poorer than they met them with no electricity, water and good roads to assuage their regrettable plight.
Speaking further, a traditional Ruler in the community said” In terms of employment, we have gotten nothing, no Owaza son is a contractor to shell, they only turned our youths to grass cutters” Our farmlands have been occupied and severely damaged. Maintaining that their peaceful disposition and refusal to join militancy should not be taken for cowardice. Adding that Abia state have not benefitted any thing as well from the oil exploration that dates back to 1958.
It high time, the oil companies rewrite the wrongs in other to pacify their host community and State as well.
A stitch in time certainly saves nine.
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