South East crew of the AUTHORITY Newspapers led by the Bureau Chief, ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU, last weekend visited the twenty-two (22) Oil producing Communities in Anambra State. The crew met with the representatives of the communities but they said their demand would be communicated to us by their consultant. Their demand was captured in this report.
The 22 communities are requesting for Education intervention scheme in form of scholarship for its wards from Orient Petroleum Plc and Anambra state Government as host communities for the oil.
The communities in Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum and Ogbaru local government areas of the state are demanding for the scholarship as part of its benefits for hosting Orient Petroleum Refinery and other collaborating firms to the Oil drilling companies. The communities in Orumba North are yet to be included in the demands until prospecting starts in that area.
In a letter to Governor Willie Obiano, the Consultant to the Communities and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Chinedum and Sons’ Engineering Company Nigeria limited , Dr (Engr.) Godwin Chinedu Anachuna (Ajee-Obosi), the communities said the request became paramount to cushion the effects of recession and deprivation the communities suffered.
The letter to Governor Obiano entitled”: ‘’Appeal for free Education for four (4) local government areas registered as oil sites by Orient Petroleum Resources Nigeria PLC’’, was copied to the Orient Petroleum Resources Nigeria Limited.
The letter read in part: ‘’the under listed four local government areas of Anambra state pleaded with us, Chinedum and Sons Engineering Company Nigeria Limited being their Consultant involved in the registration of the affected communities with oil deposits in the state, to link them up with Anambra State and the Orient Petroleum Resources Nigeria Plc regarding giving them scholarship awards to their brilliant children who are keen to further their education at all levels (Primary, Secondary and University).
“Their plea was based on their expressions on their backwardness in education and have been praying to God Almighty for their request to be granted through your Excellency.
“Sir we would be very grateful if their kind request is given due consideration and approval for implementation’’, the letter concluded.
According to Engr. Anachuna the communities gave him authority to represent them and negotiate with companies prospecting oil and gas as well as other mineral resources in their land.
He said the essence of the scholarship to the students of these communities is to forestall the Niger Delta experiences as those to be trained starting from now would be the foot soldiers and ambassadors of peace and goodwill for the companies as well as their parents and relatives. He said some others who may not be brilliant for school could be trained in skills and Entrepreneurship to ensure that they are busy and shun being used to perpetuate evil.
The Authority recalls that these Communities in the four local government areas of Anambra State registered as oil sites by Orient Petroleum Resources Nigeria Plc have demanded for compensation, royalty, employment and scholarship from the company January this year but nothing has happened, hence the reminder but this time around on Scholarship.
The legal Adviser to the Consultant to the Oil producing communities Engr. Anachuna and his company Chinedum & Sons Engineering Company Nigeria Limited, Justice Peter A.C. Obidigwe, Rtd, a former Chief Judge of the state wrote the state government on behalf of Chinedum and Sons Engineering Company Nigeria Ltd requesting for the aforementioned benefits.
Anachuna, Ajee-Obosi, a life patron of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) said aside Orumba North with overwhelming oil and gas deposits but has not be shortlisted for prospecting by Orient or any other company for that the four councils are Ogbaru, Ayamelum, Anambra East and Anambra West are deprived and needed all the support to overcome some of its challenges.
The Authority South East reports that Orient Petroleum Resources Nigeria Plc is prospecting oil in OPL 915/916 Seismic acquisition project and had carried out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as carried out by Seismic crew of Sinopec Changjiang Engineering Services Limited n behalf of Orient Petroleum Resources Plc. They are working on the oil mining lease by the government of Federal Republic of Nigeria. They equally carried out extensive environmental, Societal, and Health Impact Assessment (EIA) on the area.
The seismic crew operated primarily on six areas including stakeholders engagement, survey and line cutting, shot hole preparation (drilling), Seismic data recording, damages Assessment, and Compensation, as well as Environment Restoration.
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