New IRDC boss decries neglect of oil producing communities

Newly appointed Chairman ofItsekiri Oil and Gas Producing/Impacted Communities Development Committee,IRDC, Mr Ayirimi Emami has decried the utter neglect of the 23 Itsekiri oilproducing communities by the Ministry of Niger Delta, NDDC, Delta State OilProducing Areas Development Commission as well as other relevant governmentagencies.

Mr. Emami who spoke tonewsmen during a 3-day familiarization tour of the 23 oil producing communitiesthat make up the IRDC, explained that his administration is poised to ensurethat all contracts awarded by the IRDC and other agencies saddled with theresponsibility of developing the oil producing communities are completed.

He called for increasedfunding of the IRDC and stressed the need for both the federal and stategovernments to embark on massive infrastructural development and shoreprotection of the oil bearing Itsekiri communities to save them from beingwiped out by ocean surge .

While calling on theMinistry of Niger Delta, NDDC and DESOPADEC to commence immediate shoreprotection, land reclamation and sand filling of the 23 communities, the newIRDC boss commended Chevron for its funding, stressing that the only visibleprojects found in the coastal communtiies are those executed by the IRDCdespite the huge contributions of the communities to the nation’s economy.

Chairman of Tebu CommunityTrust, Mr. Charles Eyefiujirin Okotie in an address, appealed to the new IRDCchairman to investigate projects that are yet to be completed in the communityand called for the reclamation of its sattelite communities that have beenwashed ashore.

Secretary of KolokoloCommunity, Mr. Gabriel Utieyinetsola who spoke in the same vein in a chat withnewsmen, called for immediate canalization of the creek leading to thecommunity for easy access.

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