Disturbed by the obvious neglect of the multi-million dollars Gbarain-Ubie gas project by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), youths of Gbarain Kingdom have written to President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to come to their aid.
The angry youths under the aegis of Gbarain Youth Federation (GYF), said despite creating an enabling environment for SPDC to operate in the Kingdom since 1972, the company has done little to uplift the standard of living of the youths who are living in abject poverty.
In a letter sent to the President and the NSA and signed by the GYF’s President, Akeri Okoro, Secretary-General, Ebiuge Amakoromo and the Public Relations Officer, Ebibibo Uwoubeingha, the group says the continued refusal of the SPDC to honour the series of correspondence from the Gbarain people and honour its social responsibility clause to the Gbarain Communities is provoking tension and sense of insecurity in the kingdom.
The letter reads in part, “The entire communities under the Gbarain kingdom frown at the neglect by the SPDC and a violation of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the Company.
“The operations of the oil multinational in Gbarain kingdom have left the communities to suffer abject poverty, air borne diseases and environmental pollution.
“We are baffled and left in dismay that since the SPDC started operation in the area in 1972, the company has virtually done nothing to uplift the living standard of the people in the area.
“The incessant environmental challenges witnessed in the area are attributed to the SPDC operations with high incidence of Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis and other health hazards among the indigenes of the kingdom.”
“We are worried that with the existing pollution of the waters and Rivers of the kingdom and the attending hardship as a result of oil spillages with destruction of the fishing activities of the people may provoke a security breach and threaten the peace in the area.
“The Gbarain kingdom is responsible for the hosting of the biggest Gas production facility in the whole of the West-African region.”
