Chevron’s $6m Divides Itsekiri Leaders

By Walid Ogunseri, Benin City

Over two billion naira provided by an international oil company for the construction of Ugborodo New Town in Warri Kingdom, Delta State is causing problems among top Itsekiri leaders.

The magazine learned from competent sources that a foreign oil company, Chevron and Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) paid the cash at different times into the account of Itsekiri Regional Development Council.

The fund is now missing various sources told the magazine.

As a result of this situation, Ugborodo community, the magazine gathered, is on the verge of being washed away by the sea, while there is nothing in the ground to suggest that a new town has be constructed for the oil-rich community.

Worried about the alleged scam,  the Warri Women Consultative Assembly, Itsekiri youths and some elders took the matter to the Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti Corruption Prof. Itse Sagay, urging him to look into the issue in his capacity as head of the anti-graft committee and also a son of the Itsekiri Nation.

A petition detailing the history of the funds from the donation of 6 million dollars by chevron to the provision of another N1 billion by DESOPADEC was handled over to him.

Attached to the protest letter signed by Chief Rita Lori Ogbebor and Sir A. S. Meme, was a document endorsed by Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, (ILOT) verification committee on DESOPADEC, which revealed that only 15 units of bungalows at foundation level were structures at the site of the proposed New Town.

At a forum in Lagos, Professor Sagay condemned the mismanagement of the funds promising to take appropriate action.

Sagay, a chief of the Warri kingdom lamented that the misappropriation of such funds was common in Itsekiri Nation unlike in Urhobo, Ijaw and other oil producing ethnic groups.

To this end, he urged the youths to rise against such practices adding that they possessed the right to do so.

The petition titled “Construction and Development of Ugborodo New Town” reads,“ We are Itsekiri” mothers from the Warri kingdom in Delta State.

We have come to you as our illustrious son who has been very vocal in all mattes in this country where illegality, evil, marginalization and above all corruption are practices.

You have spoken without fear. It is for this reason that we are sure you were made the chairman of the anti-corruption committee, whose responsibilities you are carrying out diligently.”

According to the letter “in 1999, funds were earmarked and disbursed for the Ugborodo New Town and the project was envisaged to provide a modern township for Ugborodo, an oil and gas rich community in Delta State, most to Chevron Nigeria Limited.

Tank farm Escravos Gas to Liquid plant and many oil installations owned by several multinational companies including Shell, Panocean, NPDC, NNPC and NGL. To bring the project to life.

Chevron paid the sum of 6 million dollars into the Itsekiri regional development council IRDC, account in former Oceanic Bank now Eco bank in 1999 with account no 0033056452.

The Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC) paid the sum of N1 billion in 2011 to the office of the honourable chairman for development of the Ugborodo New Town. This project has been described in DESOPADEC as completed and 100 percent paid.”

Unfortunately, there are “only 15 units of bungalows at foundation level in the community there is nothing on ground to show for this humongous amount earmarked and abbursed for the building of Ugborodo New Town.

Since then, all that the Ugborodo Community in Particular and Itsekiri ethnic nationalist in general have heard, is a rather deafening silence from the parties like IRDC and Chevron who are all signatories to the account.

The rumour making rounds in the Itsekiri nation is that persons alleged to have misappropriated the funds are boasting that they have “closed the case”.

The letter further said “ May we use this petition to humbly request that you use your good office to investigate and bring perpetrator  of this crime to justice, while the people of Ugborodo community and the Itsekiri ethnic nationality look forward to the construction and development of Ugborodo New Town.

For the sake of the continous existence of Ugnborodu and indeed the whole of Itsekiri nation, we request that the Federal Government who will suffer for the breakdown of law and order in Ugborodo land, takes over the investigation of the money and development of Ugborodo New Town.

If this is not handled properly, it could bring chaos, murder, kidnap and destabilifzation of the activities of the oil companies,” the letter stated.