A riverine community in Warri in Delta State, Ugborodo Community, has demanded the removal of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola and a rejig of top hierarchy of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA( by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The community operating under the aegis of Ugborodo Community Youth Development Body in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, signed by Wilson Ejeh and David Mamah, President and Public Relations Officer, respectively, expressed dissafection over the neglect of the Delta Port in Warri by the immediate past and the present administration.
It noted that all its appeals and entreaties to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Hon. Gboyega Oyetola, to dredge the Escravos Bar Mouth and Warri River, with a view to allow bigger ships and
vessels access Delta Ports and subsequently revitalize commercial activities in Delta and
neighbouring states, for the overall benefit of the Nation have been ignored.
“Your Excellency Sir, all entreaties made to the Minister and heads of parastatals under him, either through written or verbal communication, to make them commit to the dredging of Escravos Bar Mouth/ Warri River, have fell on deaf ears.
“These entreaties, include the recent open letter addressed to Your Excellency, which was widely publicized in various print and online media across the country.
“This I – don’t – care attitude of the Minister, is not only disrespectful to the Ugborodo people, other Itsekiris and our neighbours, but tantamount to economic sabotage and deliberate attempt to project your administration in bad light before Deltans.
“It is vitally important at this juncture to emphasize that vessels that occasionally pass through the Escravos Bar Mouth, are often grounded for more than two weeks, as a result of NNPCL pipelines
shallowly laid decades ago, resulting in astronomical increase in transportation and allied costs on the part of the importers. This leads to near comatose of the over 20 petrol depots in Delta State and eventually translates into huge financial burden on the consumers, especially riverine dwellers who are compelled to cough out times two of what urban residents spend to buy diesel, PMS (fuel)
and other petroleum products.
“Succinctly put, our people in the coastal communities, spend far
more money to buy fuel, diesel and cooking gas for domestic use, compared to those in the towns and cities. Even though the bulk of the oil and gas resources are in the riverine communities, we suffer the consequences of increase in petroleum products more, while the pollution of our
environment by oil and gas majors, has killed fishing and other forms of whenever the management of Nigerian Ports Authority is called upon to address the situation of vessels going
aground at the Escravos Bar Mouth, they are quick to blame it on NNPCL pipelines, while the NNPCL on its part, gives an impression of helplessness.”
The Ugborodo Community which recalled earlier assurances by President Tinubu during his electioneering campaigns to open up Warri, Burutu, Sapele and Koko ports, lamented that the Minister of Marine Economy and heads of Nigerian
Ports Authority as well as sister MDAs, “have through their actions, made vast majority of Deltans wrongly feel that Your Excellency is only interested in further advancing the socio – economic life of
ports in Lagos State.”
The Community threatened that it will
“activate the threat of disrupting the smooth operations of the multinational oil and gas
companies operating in our area, any moment from now,” except it demands are met.
The open letter which was sent to the office of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; the IGP, Michael Egbetokun; Chief of Army Staff, General Abiodun Lagbaja and other relevant security agencies further reads in part: “Mr. President, unlike your predecessors, who were only interested in the huge resources (crude oil and natural gas) in our communities, we are of the opinion that you are truly committed to
changing the narrative. It is consequent upon this trust, that we declare thus:
“Sack the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola immediately and
replace him with a competent and vibrant Nigerian;
“Order immediate personnel restructure in the top hierarchy of Nigerian Ports Authority, so as to address the nonchalance exhibited towards the development of Delta Ports.
“Direct the management of NNPCL to immediately relocate the pipelines grounding vessels and
big ships at the Escravos Bar Mouth Initiate immediate action towards the dredging of Escravos Bar Mouth and Warri River.”
