Eleme Demands Fair Treatment From Firms, FG

The people of Eleme in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State are worried that inspite of being  host to a  refinery, the largest petrochemical plant on the West African  sub region,  Indorama, and hundreds of other companies  and Federal Government-owned establishments all contributing  to the national  economy, they have little or nothing to show for its contributions.
The President of O.E’La Obor Eleme Worldwide which is a general  assembly of Eleme People, Mr. Israel  Abbey, expressed this  disappointment in an exclusive  interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
He said: “The case of Eleme Community is that of being in the water, yet having no water to drink.
“Inspite of its huge contributions to the national  economy, Eleme has no good  roads, no water. The water is polluted with benzene such that  if you drill a borehole, you observe the presence  of crude oil  deposits in the water coming out”.
Abbey also noted that, for the over 50 years the Eleme Refinery had been in existence no indigene of the area had been considered  to  occupy the position of its Managing Director.
The community leader who attributed the  situation  to the peaceful  disposition of the people, stressing that Eleme people  are peaceful to a fault  and that was the  major reason why the government and companies  take them for granted.
Abbey  who stated  that time   has come  for Eleme people  to be treated fairly expressed  fear that a new generation of the people might no longer be peaceful  to a fault  and would decide to  exert force to get what belongs to them.
He urged the firms and government to consider a holistic development plan for the people.
Abbey  described  Indorama as a success  story of Nigerian Privatisation for giving  the immediate  host community 7.5% equity share of  the firm but said the gesture  had  caused  a feeling of bitterness and acrimony as the rest parts of Eleme  were not  carried along even when they also suffer directly the negative impacts of the company’s operations.
He said the leadership of the assembly plans need to dialogue  with Indorama and other notable organizations on the need to also consider the welfare of the larger community of Eleme people.

Chris Oluoh/Eberechi Akwarandu