Delta community vows to disrupt EPZ’s flag-off

THE Ijaws of Ogulagha kingdom in Burutu local council of Delta State have vowed to frustrate the proposed  March 15 ground breaking ceremony of the controversial $16b Export Processing Zone (EPZ) popularly known as  Delta Gas City project, at Ogidigben, by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had few days ago met with Ijaw and Itsekiri groups led by Chief Tompolo Ekpemupolo and Ayiri Emami and had reportedly resolved ahead the ceremony.

But Chief Williams Igere, the Bolou-wei (traditional prime minister) of Ogulagha kingdom,  Friday, said the purported resolution by the Itsekiris of Ugborodo and Gbaramatu on the new naming of the EPZ project was null and void.

He noted that the Ogulagha kingdom had 50% of the land hosting the project, wondering why the president and the governor as well as and the NNPC never considered the community in the course of renaming the facility.

Igere however warned that the people of Ogulagha would disrupt the operations of Chevron, SPDC, Agip and Britiani-U in the area should the Federal Government and NNPC refused to acknowledge them as host to the project.

He said: “Interestingly,  the peace committee set up by Governor Uduaghan, which was led by the Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama recognised Ogulagha as major stakeholder and co-host to the project”.

” The meeting held by President Jonathan with only the Itsekiris of Ugborodo and Ijaws of Gbaramatu at Asaba, was a clear indication to neglect Ogulagha. We shall resist the injustice and we are very much ready to truncate the project”.

” We shall not allow the state government concede Ogulagha land in Burutu to Warri South-West. We have vowed to fight against it. We rather die to secure our God given land,”Igere warned.