The Board Chairman of Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) and traditional ruler of Nkwesi Ancient Kingdom, Oru Clan, Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State, His Imperial Majesty, Eze Prof. Amuzienwa Dele Odigbo has lauded Governor Hope Uzodinma over recovery of 43 oil wells from Rivers State.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Owerri, Eze Odigbo asked the people from the oil producing areas of Imo State, Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta to continue to pray for the Governor to succeed in his recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction agenda of the state.
According to him, “I want to call on all noble sons and daughters of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta to continue to pray and bless our governor to do more to rebuild the fallen walls of Imo State. Very wonderful things await us. The 3R mantra of the governor: Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery, is a vision from God to restore the lost glory of the state to the good and advantage of all persons”.
The Emeritus National Welfare Secretary of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities (TROMPCOM), added that the 43 oil wells erroneously ceded to Rivers State which was recently recovered by the present administration negatively affected the revenue base of the state in the past, saying the state was recorded as one of the lowest oil producing states in the federation.
“A total of 43 oil wells were erroneously ceded to Rivers State, but for the social political deft touch by Uzodinma and the Special Adviser to the governor on Oil and Petroleum, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nana Opiah this great exercise would have been a mirage. This ugly situation adversely affected the revenue base of the state, as we were recorded as one of the lowest oil producing States in the Country. Even at a point, we were begging to be made a member of the Coastal States of Nigeria during the Obasanjo regime. But with the recovery of the Oil Wells from River State you can understand what these pragmatic leaders went through in terms of logistics, money, time and contacts”, he said.
The monarch reiterated that “22 Oil Wells were recovered from Mgbede Field in Egbema, Ohaji/Egbema, while 21 Oil Wells were recovered from Akiri Feild in Oguta. This has placed Imo State as the 4th largest Oil Producing States in Nigeria today. Imo State can now talk strongly in the comity of Oil Producing States in Nigeria. Necessary things have been done in the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). What this means is that Imo will have increase in revenue. The 13% Oil Derivation Fund is now enhanced and the state now has serious bargaining power in the appointment of the Niger Delta Development Commission Managing Director, Chairman and Executive Directors of the NDDC which hitherto eluded Imo State”.
The ISOPADEC Chairman emphasized that the cheering development has now increased “employment opportunities for Imo citizens. All these are in line with decision reached when the Boundary Adjustment Committee visited Ohaji/Egbema on 23rd November, 2020 at Mmahu from Federal Government”.
