Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele, two oil‑bearing communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, staged a protest on 5 September to demand basic amenities and a review of the state’s oil‑development arrangements.
Community leaders accused the Anambra State Government of neglect, calling for the provision of schools, hospitals, roads and other public services that would allow residents to live “normal lives.” They also urged the oil company Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) to honour its agreements with the communities.
During the march, members complained that SEEPCO had failed to deliver on several commitments, including scholarships for local students and the construction of essential infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and access roads.
Traditional ruler Odua Ukwu Ogwuikpele, Anagboso Anselm Bernard Ignatius Okaka, decried the poor living conditions and called on both the Federal and Anambra State governments to urgently address the infrastructure and environmental challenges facing his people.
“When the oil exploration company SEEPCO came into our community, we thought good things had come to stay. We never knew we were going to face the worst of it all. The life we were living before was far better than what we are experiencing today. The oil they are drilling has caused deaths among our people. The death toll this month has increased to seven within August. Here, they get the oil, but we have not seen any sign of the 13 per cent derivation meant for us. We are living as if we are inside holes.”
President‑General Hon. Esumai Patrick Chukwudi also criticised SEEPCO’s operations, alleging that the company had failed to deliver meaningful development despite years of oil exploration. In neighbouring Ogwuaniocha, President‑General Hon. Vitalis Ekwuanua said oil activities had harmed agriculture, aquatic life and the environment, while basic infrastructure remained absent.
The communities are calling for the reconstitution of the Anambra State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ANSOPADEC) and for the Ogbaru Oil and Gas Technical Committee (OOGTC) to have meaningful representation, including consideration of local leaders for commission posts. Chairman Engr. Anthony Egwuatu said the demands were simply for SEEPCO to fulfil its commitments and for the government to provide public services and institutional support.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
