Royal Father Berates Shell Over Neglect In Etcheland

L-R: Regional Director, Dangote, Chux Mogbolu, Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Oare Ojeikere, a beneficiary, Chidiuto Augustine, Rivers State Zonal Coordinator, Prince Chinonye Ikegwuruka and Head, Sales, Dangote Cement, Mr. Ken Ihedioha, during a mega million promo organised by the company in Port Harcourt on Monday.

A traditional ruler in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, has expressed disappointment over what he described as disregard and disrespect by the Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, to the host communities in Etche land.
The Onye Ishi Agwuru Ulakwo/Umuselem clan, HRH Eze ken Nwala, made the disclosure Thursday at the commissioning of projects and programmes by Etche Two Cluster Community Development Initiative held at the Ultra Modern ICT Centre, Odagwa 11.
Nwala said the absence of Shell petroleum development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) at the event was a clear proof of the high level of disdain the oil company has for the people of the area.
Nwala said, “I am disappointed that SPDC is absent. It shows the level of disregard the company has for its host communities. Not even sending a representative”.
The royal father alleged that Shell has severally promised his people good roads, markets, schools and other necessarily infrastructure, but regretted that the oil giant was yet to fulfil its promises to the people.
He said, in Ogoni, Kalabari land and other communities in the Niger Delta, there are crisis in communities where Shell operates and urged the company not to take the peaceful disposition of Etche people for granted.
Nwala also noted that Umuechem Community was massacred years back and that recently, a son of Okoroagu community also in Etche was killed because of agitation and demand for fairness and justice from the company and advised |SPDC to be fair to his people.
He lamented the poor road network in Shell host communities in Etcheland and appealed to the authorities of the company to show proof of responsible corporate organisation.
“Any day I come to Odagwa, I feel like crying because of the poverty in the area and the absence of social amenities insipite of the millions of dollars being extracted from the land by Shell”, he said.
He however commended the GMoU initiative for putting in place the ICT centre and urged the people to make good use of the facility.
The traditional ruler also advised youths who benefitted from the training programme sponsored by the GMoU initiative to take advantage of the skills acquired to better their lives.
He particularly reiterated the need for youths of the area to remain peaceful and shun social vices for a sustainable development of the area.

Chris Oluoh