Itsekiriland... Abandoned projects litter community as leaders ‘swallow’ Chevron’s N7.2bn development fund

In 2005, Chevron Nigeria Limited established the Itsekiri Regional Development Council (IRDC) and disbursed N7.2 billion to it for the development of 24 Itsekiri communities. Eighteen years after, Itsekiri land is still in shambles as money disbursed by Chevron seems to have gone down the drain.

Kelechukwu IRUOMA went through the creeks and visited four Itsekiri communities to unravel how over N7.2 billion meant for Itsekiri-land development was apparently mismanaged with abandoned projects littering everywhere.

TWENTY-four Itsekiri women sit on three benches at one side of the State High Court chambers in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria waiting for the arrival of the Chief Judge. With rage etched on their faces, they hiss and continuously shake their heads in defiance.

The moment the Judge stepped in, everyone in the court rose. The court clerk read out the case file and the first case was Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori Ogbebor against Keystone Bank, Chief Ayiri Emami, Austin Oniyesan, Richard Omare (representing Itsekiri Regional Development Council) and Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL).

The case was what brought the women from 24 Itsekiri communities to the court. After the proceedings, the Judge adjourned the case. The women stood and headed towards the exit. As they walk hesitatingly, they began calling the defendants criminals, lamenting that Itsekiri people do not have anything to show for the oil and gas they own.

They want the Itsekiri Regional Development Council (IRDC) and Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) to be held responsible for the lack of development in Itsekiri land.

Chevron established IRDC to develop Itsekiri communities, but…

Chevron is one of the oil companies exploring crude oil in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. Its exploration activities have allegedly caused environmental pollution, which has affected the biodiversity of the Niger Delta areas, contaminating rivers and farms. The Itsekiri people protested, claiming CNL would not explore their oil without assisting in the development of the oil producing communities, which were in shambles — no good roads, no hospitals and electricity supply and they no longer go to the river to fish — because of the pollution of the waterways. Itsekiri land was so uninhabitable that the indigenes had to relocate to Sapele and Warri.

In 2005, Chevron introduced a Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) governance model to promote sustainable development and foster community engagement in its areas of operation in the Niger Delta, including Itsekiri communities.

The GMoU led to the establishment of IRDC whose function was to award contracts and execute various projects for the sustainable development of 24 oil-producing Itsekiri communities. The Council in partnership with Chevron tours the communities and the council proposes projects that could ameliorate the sufferings of the people, for which the company makes funds available.

The communities are located in Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West local government areas. They include Aja-Amita, Ajudaibo, Bateren, Deghele, Ebrohimi, Eghoro, Gbokoda, Ijaghala, Jakpa, Kolokolo, Madangho, Obaghoro, Ugborodo, Ogidigben, Omadino, Sagharatie, Tebu, Tisun, Udo, Ugboegungun, Ugbolegin, Ureju, and Usor.

From the commencement of the GMoU in 2005 to date, CNL in a response to Ripples Nigeria through its General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinn, claimed the company has disbursed over N7.2 billion to the IRDC. The company said the documents showing the disbursement of money to IRDC annually are available but cannot be shared.

IRDC opened seven accounts with the Keystone Bank. After 18 years of operation, Itsekiri communities are still in shambles as there is still no sustainable development, Ripples Nigeria can confirm.

In 2015, the Council led by the past chairman and current Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayirimi Emami, was alleged to have embezzled the money meant for the development of the communities, with abandoned projects littering the communities. This issue led to an internal leadership crisis within the IRDC.

Did Chevron connive with IRDC to halt development in Itsekiri?

Itsekiri people not only believe that the Council embezzled the money; they also allege that Chevron Nigeria Limited connived with the Council to halt development in the communities. It was the Igba of Warri, Chief Rita Lori, who took the Council and Chevron to court.

In September 2017, the State High Court granted an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Keystone Bank from releasing any sum of money in any of the seven bank accounts to IRDC.

The court in its judgment also gave an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Chevron Nigeria Limited from further paying the IRDC any money that accrues to any of the oil and gas producing communities of Itsekiri nation pending the hearing and determination of the court. The amount in all seven accounts estimated to have been frozen was N2.1 billion.

READ MORE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/investigation-itsekiriland-abandoned-projects-litter-community-as-leaders-swallow-chevron-n7-2bn-development-fund/

Na so!!! We do n kill ourselves n then distract the Ever Gullible Masses... Pinned.

Let me tell you something incase you don't know.

Take an average nigerian including myself and put in that leadership position, that same 7.2 billion would still lost.

If you want us to do pratical, carry me and put there now.