Crisis emerges as Delta communities give NDDC, Chevron 21-day ultimatum

Crisis is looming in Egbema Kingdom, Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, as the people of the area have given Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, a 21-day ultimatum

to kick-start all abandoned projects in their communities. Tsekelewu and Polobobou communities said that failure to comply will lead to civil disturbances and disruption of operations of oil companies in their area.

The communities also called on Chevron Nigeria Limited to commence the dredging of Tsekelewu and Pelobobou creeks for easy accessibility to their communities, alleging that Chevron operations in their area have succeeded in converting their creeks to ordinary land and difficult to enter. The 21-day ultimatum was contained in a statement by Marvis Ofiyai and Asoki Victor, President and Secretary, respectively, Tsekelewu and Polobobou communities.

It noted that the ultimatum was occasioned by the failure of NDDC to live up to her responsibilities to the communities with respect to five major projects initiated in 2005 but abandoned till date, adding that they have nothing to show that they are oil producing communities. “NDDC should use the statutory allocation from oil companies to develop oil producing communities such as tackling the case of Tsekelewu and Polobobou canalization project urgently before it will lead to gross protest that may shock the world,” it added.