An oil producing community, Utu-Umuoriji in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, has urged the Nigerian Agrip Oil Company (NAOC) to embark on environmental audit assessment of the area, with a view to ameliorate the damaging effect of the oil and gas exploration on the environment.
The charge was given by the Community Development Committee Chairman, Hon. Joseph Akata during the inauguration of Ikm concrete road with drains, built by Nigeria Agrip Oil Company and its joint venture partners at Utu-Umuoriji last Wednesday.
The CDC Chairman said the environmental degradation the area due to oil activities pose a serious concern to the people and called for intervention measures to cushion the suffering of the inhabitants.
He however, expressed his appreciation over the Ikm road among other developmental projects executed in the area by NAOC, pointing out that the company’s provision in recent time had impacted positively on the socio-economic lives of the people.
He assuring NAOC of the community’s peaceful disposition, he urged the company to redouble their pace in the developmental stride of the area, specially in the area of human capacity development.
In his remarks, the NAOC General Manager, District Paolo carnevale, represented by the Assistant Manager, Public relation, Mrs Grce Okpoyo, said the road project will enhance free movement and boost social and economic integration among the people.
He said the gesture will further cement the existing cordial relationship between the parties, assuring that with peaceful business environment, more projects would be attracted.
In another development, an electricity power plant (Generator) upgraded from 250KVA to 365 KVA by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and its joint venture partners was also commissioned at Utuechi Community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Speaking at the occasion, the CDC Chairman, Sunday Ironah, thanked NAOC for responding to step down transformer to aid the power distribution in the area, as well as call for the negotiation of a new Memorandum of Understanding between the Community and the Company.
In her remarks, the NAOC Assistant Manager Pubic Relation, Mrs Grace Okpoyo, representing the General Manager District, said the project will go a long way in facilitating the economic activities in the community, as well as strengthen the cordial relationship between the company and the community.
She urged them to put the project into proper use and guard against any form of vandalism that may affect oil exploration in the area.
