The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, has directed contractors who abandoned projects in oil bearing communities of Imo State to return to site with immediate effect.
Osibanjo gave the directive on Tuesday in Owerri during a stakeholders’ forum held at Imo International Convention Centre.
He said that from the list submitted to him by various groups, Imo State had over 40 abandoned projects awarded in oil bearing areas apart from numerous roads projects that were abandoned.
He warned political office holders not to divert projects meant for oil bearing communities.
He added that diversion of projects contributed to restiveness and cry of marginalisation in oil producing communities.
He said that the federal government was committed to injecting fresh ideas to fastrack the development of the Niger Delta region.
According to him, the idea will entail the federal government, oil firms, corporate bodies and the host communities coming together to step up development of the area.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, assured that his ministry would investigate reports of allocation of oil wells owned by Imo State to other states.
Governor Rochas Okorocha, who thanked the acting president for the visit, said a lot was still needed to be done for Imo people to carry them along in the scheme of things.
Okorocha appealed to the Federal Government to site more projects in Imo State and include the state in projects meant for oil producing states.
Chief Jones Uzoka, an indigene of oil bearing communities of Imo State, who spoke at the meeting, alleged that some oil wells that belong to the state were allocated to other state, while some were shut down for no reason.
Uzoka said as a result of the development, the state does not get its right share as oil bearing state and called for redress of the injustice.
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