Is it not shameful and disheartening that for over four years now, the
\nslow progress of work at the site of what was supposed to be the largest
\ngas plant in Africa- the Chevron\u2019s over $15 billion dollar gas development
\nproject at Ugborodo community in Delta state could be clearly traced to
\nissues revolving around two dominant questions both bothering on
\nself-centredness and malfeasance of few privilege individuals. First,
\nwhere is the $6 million the American oil major sent as its counterpart
\nfund in the negotiated relocation of Ugborodo community from their current
\nsite and development of a new town project? And where is the N3.85 billion
\nthe Delta state government claimed to have released as it own share in the
\ncounterpart funding arrangement?
\nLeader of Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, Pa Johnson Ayomike, Monday January
\n20 2014 raised alarm that the $6 million sent by Chevron in the United
\nStates of America as its contribution in the counterpart funding
\narrangement towards the relocation and development of the Ugborodo new
\ntown project in Delta state has been either misappropriated or outrightly
\nmissing.
\nThe Delta state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, an Itsekiri, was directly
\naccused of complicity both in the missing money and the crisis that has
\nrocked the Ugborodo community, the host the new gas plant.
\nAs alleged by Pa Ayomike, the money \u201cwas changed to naira and deposited in
\na bank account controlled by signatories named by Governor Emmanuel
\nUduaghan, without the knowledge of registered trustees of Ugborodo
\ncommunity.\u201d
\nHis words: \u201cTo set the Ugborodo record straight, the initial N900 million
\nfixed at a 13 per cent annual interest has depleted after five years, when
\nthe account became public. Simple mathematical extrapolation suggests that
\nthe balance should have been N1.4 billion at this time based on the
\nexchange rate of $1 to N150 that prevailed in 2008 when the money was
\ndeposited.\u201d
\nThe Itsekiri leader also raised questions over the additional N3.850
\nbillion which the Delta state government claimed to have contributed as it
\nown counterpart fund as agreed for the development of the same new town
\nproject. He alleged \u201cprofessional estate valuers have indicated that only
\nabout N60 million worth of job had been done on the site and yet the money
\nhad been expended.\u201d
\nAyomike who blamed Uduaghan for the crisis in Ugborodo, said the governor
\nmeddled in the local Ugborodo community affair by asking the elected
\nchairman of the Governing Council of the Ugborodo Community Trust to step
\ndown for another candidate. He alleged \u201cthe governor backs the illegal
\ngoverning council led by his cohort as the authentic team despite the
\nexistence of a set of electoral rules embodied in the instrument long
\nadopted by the community and registered with the Corporate Affairs
\nCommission in Abuja.\u201d
\nThe concerns expressed by the octogenarian, Pa Ayomike raised so many
\nquestions about the Uduaghan\u2019s interest and complicity in the community
\nissue.
\nFirst, Pa Ayomike and his faction claimed to have solid evidence that the
\nDelta State Government\u2019s counterpart share of N3.850 billion was
\ndocumented as spent on the Ugborodo New Town Project. So the question is:
\nWhere is the $6 million contributed by Chevron for the relocation and
\ndevelopment of Ugborodo New Town Project? Also, where is the Delta State
\nGovernment\u2019s N3.850 billion alleged contribution to the project?
\nThe issue of the actual initial deposit is very crucial in this matter
\nalso. Pa Ayomike and his group alleged the initial deposit was N900
\nmillion using the exchange rate of $1 to N150 that prevailed when the
\nmoney was paid in 2008. And this makes some sense. But the Delta state
\ngovernment declared that it was N705 million that was initially deposited.
\nSo the alleged differential of N195 million in the claims by the two sides
\nalso needs to be adequately clarified at best by warehousing bank- Ecobank
\nand signatories to the account. ofcourse this would resolve the difference
\nbetween the N1.4 billion and N908 million declared by the Pa Ayomike\u2019s
\ngroup and the Delta state government respectively as the current value of
\nthe money.
\nUduagha in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary following the
\naccusation by the octogenarian Itsekiri leader maintained that the money
\n($6 million) brought by Chevron with the accrued interests has not been
\nembezzled but intact in Ecobank. The governor did not say anything
\nconcerning the purported expended N3.850 billion allegedly contributed by
\nthe Delta State Government. Instead, it was the Secretary to the State
\nGovernment (SSG), Mr Ovouzourie Macaulay who on an interview on Channels
\nTelevision on Sunday January 27 stated that the Delta state governor\u2019s
\nalleged complicity in the Ugborordo community crisis was because the state
\ngovernment moved in to mediate and ensure peace and security of lives and
\nproperty in the area.. The SSG also insisted that the Chevron\u2019s money has
\nnot been embezzled.
\nIf true as the governor claimed the money could not have been embezzled by
\na third party without Chevron\u2019s involvement because: \u201cThe way it is
\narranged Chevron has to approve the project. Chevron has to sign the
\ncheque and Chevron has to supervise the project. The money is a fund that
\nno single individual can withdraw,\u201d then, Chevron has to make public
\nstatement on the status of the account.
\nAs Uduaghan is sure the money and all the accrued interest are intact in
\nthe bank, should with the urgency it deserves ask both Chevron Nigeria
\nLimited and Ecobank to make independent statements concerning the funds.
\nAt least this would douse the mounting tension in the area arising from
\nmutual suspicions. Though it may be more difficult for Chevron considering
\nthe likely backlash of heightened community antagonism from the warring
\nfactions, Ecobank should set the pace since the request on the status of
\nthe fixed deposit is being demanded by established owners of the money and
\nalso signatories to the account.
\nThe Delta state governor must extricate himself from allegations of
\ncomplicity in the leadership crisis and convincingly show that he is only
\nmediating without bias for the sake of peace and progress of work at the
\nsite of the gas plant. Uduaghan should build on truth and transparency as
\nthis will convince the people of the community that he is actually working
\nfor their good. Anything short of this will only breed more suspicion and
\nultimately a complete breakdown of law and order.
\nNow to Ugborodo community, supposing the Delta State Government actually
\nset out to contribute the N3.850 billion as its counterpart fund, which
\nfaction of the community leadership is Uduaghan going to dole out the
\nmoney? Which group is the oil company- Chevron going to be dealing with
\nas authentic leadership of the Ugborodo community without getting itself
\nmessed in the dirty politics of community crisis? If the Ugborodo people
\ncannot even develop and agree on a workable plan which is basic for their
\nnew town project but more interested in squandering monies meant for the
\ncommunity development, would they ever have the moral stance to challenge
\nChevron for renegading on its community social responsibilities or even
\nthe Delta state government for neglecting them?
\nThe community has spent so much time fighting over who controls the funds
\nrather than doing a single thing on their part to produce a blueprint of
\nwhat they think they want as their new town? Is there an articulated
\ndevelopment masterplan for the new town project? There is none: because if
\nsuch plan exists, at least houses and other infrastructures would have
\nbeen fully built in the place to enable relocation of the indigenes while
\nother bigger development issues are being sorted out. You see why the
\ncurrent disposition and power tussle in the community should make all the
\nparties hide their faces in shame.
\nIFEANYI IZEZE is an Abuja-based Consultant and can be reached on:
\niizeze@yahoo.com; 234-8033043009)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Is it not shameful and disheartening that for over four years now, the slow progress of work at the site of what was supposed to be the largest gas plant…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n