A Non-Governmental Organisation, “We, The People”, has decried the underdevelopment of Rumuekpe community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State by government and multinational oil companies despite being an oil producing community.
It would be recalled that the community folks, including men, women and youths in their teeming numbers, blocked the entrance of the community, demanding the provision of social amenities from the international oil companies operating in their area.
They alleged that for about 60 years, the presence of four multinational oil firms, such as Shell, NDPR, TotalEnergies and Agip in their community, had not translated to social amenities and a good life for them.
But the protest was reportedly halted by heavily-armed soldiers who drove into the area in about six Hilux vans.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen shortly after a solidarity visit to the community, the Executive Director of the Niger Delta-based NGO, Ken Henshaw, said Rumuekpe represents a classic case of result of a cursed environment.
He said for over 60 years that oil exploration has gone on in the community, the people have nothing to show for it.
Henshaw said with abundant wealth, Rumuekpe has seen the most terrible sufferings.
“A community where crude oil extraction has taken place since 1958, look at how degraded the environment is.
“Rumuekpe is a classic study of the resource curse, with abundance of wealth, but has seen the most terrible sufferings”, he said.
Henshaw noted that oil extraction has also destroyed the community’s environment.
In his words, “it destroys their environment, pollute their crops, it pollute their lands, it poisone their health”.
He said time has come for both government and multinational corporations operating in the community to wakeup to their corporate social responsibility by embarking on projects to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.
Ken Henshaw also said he is happy that the people of Rumuekpe and other Communities in the Niger Delta region are beginning to realize that something must be done to end their sufferings, especially now that the era of fossil fuel is gradually winding down.
Also speaking, the Councillor for Ward 8 in Rumuekpe, Bright Green, alleged that his people are having hard times as poverty is increasing in the community.
He also alleged that soldiers who were drafted to quel the peaceful protest destroyed their canopies and arrested two persons.
According to him, about 25 canopies and 2,000 chairs were seized from the protesters.
“Nobody was shot, but they arrested two of the protesters. They arrested Mr. Godknows and Edward Uka. These are the people they forwarded their names and I do not know the reason for the arrest”, the Councillor stated.
He stated that the solution to the agitation was for the oil firms to engage with the communities.
“For two weeks now, the community people have been demanding their rights from the IOCs, especially Shell, NDPR, Total and Agip. I have been in the press, urging the multinationals to come down to see the community that is hosting them because they are suffering, they do not have any basic social amenities”, he said.
Some of the protesters who spoke with newsmen said the protest was to demand the inclusion of the community in the pipeline surveillance contract.
They also complained that the community lacks basic amenities such as roads, water, electricity and health Institution.
They said many pregnant women have died as a result of lack of a health Institution, adding that the protest will continue until their demands are addressed.
Spokesperson of the Nigeria Army 6 Division, Danjuma Jonah, could not be reached for comment as at press time.

By: John Bibor