Stakeholders’ Engagement meeting for the proposed Ameshi field Development Plan in Ogbaru Council area by Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company, SEEPCO has ended at Agulu Anaocha Council Area.
Queen Anigbogu reports that the meeting which was held at Golden Tulip Hotel, Agulu, was organised by the Environmental impact Assessment Department of the Federal Ministry of Environment.
The event attracted Governor Willie Obiano, the Minister of State for Environment, Honourable Sharon Ikeazor, officials of Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Representatives of the host communities, traditional rulers, clergy, political office holders among other dignitaries.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the state government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, said that the state government welcomes SEEPCO to invest in the state but that the company has to follow due process in carrying out their exploration activities.
He stressed that Environmental impact Assessment must be done first before the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, and called on regulators to do their job well while those beating the drum of war should stop.
Also speaking, Chairman Anambra State Oil and Gas Development Committee, Mr. Frank Edozie, spoke about the illegal activities of SEEPCO in the host communities adding that the company came into the state since 2014 but till date, has no official document acknowledging their presence.
He faulted the deceptive attitude of the oil exploration company for not carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment, the absence of host communities Engagement and the lack of Corporate Social Responsibility saying that they do not want a repeat of what happened in the Niger Delta in Anambra state.
In his comments, the Operations Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Akpomudjere Okiemute, said he believes that SEEPCO as a responsible company should carry the host communities and Anambra State government along in their activities disclosing that DPR was not aware of any approval given to the company for oil exploration in Ameshi oil field.
In their separate remarks, Representatives of the host communities, the traditional ruler of Ogwuaniocha, Igwe Oliver Nnaji and a representative of Ogwuikpele, Dr Ikechukwu Agurue, revealed that the unguarded activities of the company in their communities have brought about fatalities, environmental degradation and communal wranglings.
In response, the Vice president of SEEPCO, Mr. Sandeep Singh, appreciated the Federal Ministry of Environment for initiating the meeting for all stakeholders to sit down and review their relationship in Anambra state.
He notified that his company is ready to listen and deal with all the issues raised by the communities, to properly engage them as well as begin the process of signing for M.O.U. when the concerned parties are ready.
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