Host Communities Demand End to Gas Flaring

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Oben Communities of Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Edo State have demanded an end to gas flaring by Oil and Gas Producing Companies in the area.

The communities made the demand when the management of Seplat Petroleum Development Company paid a working visit to the community at the weekend.
The Chairman of the oil firm, Mr Ambrose Orjiako led the visit.

In his address, the spokesman of the communities, Mr. Friday Eboigbe bemoaned the health implication of gas flaring on the inhabitants of the host community.

Eboigbe also requested several other benefits from the company as their host in order to continue to enjoy the relationship that has ensured peace between them.

He said: “We want immediate employment of our youths by the company as well as provision of uninterrupted electricity power supply to the four communities that make up Oben Oil Field OML 4.

“We want engagement of indigenous contractors from the host communities to executive significant projects for Seplat and also engagement of Oben Oil Field graduates in Seplat graduate training programme.

“We need adequate security for the host communities to tackle the ravaging Fulani herdsmen who have turned Sokponba and Urhonigbe forests reserves as their den.”
Similarly, the communities urged the government to urgently see to the dualisation of the Benin-Abraka road.

Addressing the representatives of the communities, Orjiako commended the communities for their peaceful disposition, promising to see to all their requests.
He particularly stressed that the communities would get a befitting hospital with doctors as a matter of priority.

“We are going to walk the talk; we are not just going to be talking but you are going to be seeing action”, Orjiako declared.

Present at the meeting were the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Roger Brown, youths from the four communities and the Enogie of Oben, HRH Frederick Ogiemwonyi.

“That the representative of all our client was at the scene when all the incident took place and that on seeing his elder brother struggle for his life he rushed to help him and cried for more help, it took about 30 minutes before the DPO of the police Station at the Federal Secretariat brought his official car to convey the victim to the National Hospital where he died as result of the gunshot injuries.

“That our client and others were instructed to come back to the police station today being 20/11/2020 after preliminary questioning. That this morning they were referred to the FCT command where they have made statements and were asked to leave as they will be contacted.”