Sarabubowei Community warns against sidelining her over clean-up

By Loveth Ojogun

The people of Sarabubowei Community of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State might be plunged into crisis given failure of Ocean Marine Company under Pipeline Petroleum Marketing Company (PPMC) to incorporate Sarabubowei in the ongoing oil spill clean-up exercise in the area, representatives said.

Comrade Frederick Igere and Mr. Iroupa Ebimiesinde, Chairman and Secretary of Sarabubowei Community respectively, said in a statement recently that neglecting Sarabubowei community in favour of an Itsekiri community might elicit disaffection between Ijaws and Itsekiris.

GbaramatuVoice could reminisce that in the recent time, oil spill from ruptured pipeline belonging to Pipeline Petroleum Marketing Company (PPMC) dmaged Sarabubowei community and the community officially informed PPMC.

“But people of Sarabubowei community were surprised that repair works done by Ocean Marine hired by PPMC were carried out without formal discussion with the community executives ; and this may cause another crisis between ijaws and itsekiris in escravos,” the report said.

The statement continued, “Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) and clean-up exercise have not been done and relief materials have not been given to us despite the fact that our farmlands, creeks and river were all ravaged by the oil spill.

“The community calls on the Federal Government to prevail on PPMC and Ocean Marine to clean-up the oil spill in an orderly and responsible manner in order not to cause crises between Ijaws and Itsekiris in Escravos.”