Oil spill: Indigenes vow to rebuild Ikara community

By Godwin Oghre

SAPELE—The people of Ikara Community (near Ologbo), Ikpoba/Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, have vowed to jointly rebuild their community that has been ravaged by oil pollution following ruptures in the oil pipelines of the National Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, passing through the community.

Chairman of the community, Mr. Lawrence Anirejuuoritse Wilbert, and the Secretary, Boyowa Eyejamuro, who spoke on behalf of the community at the inauguration of its executive committee, also called on the oil company to expedite action on the clean-up of the area and make adequate compensation to the community, in compliance with relevant statutory guidelines.

The Elders' Council, which was also inaugurated, has Pa. Samson Uwanikone as Olara-Aja (oldest man), Pastor Orits Arthur Egbiwe (Secretary, Elders' Council) and Chief John Eyajamure (Elders' Spokesman).
Other members of the community executive committee include, Mr Austin Uwanikone (Public Relation Officer, P.R.O), Bawo Dickson (Financial. Secretary), David Omonedo (Assistant. P.R.O), Jemide Julius Temisan (Provost) and Atsedosan Otse Egbiwe (Auditor),

They described the spillage as having caused, "Monumental lost of aquatic, domestic and agricultural lives," warning that the company must not violate or bye pass the necessary statutory measures to be followed in remedying the plight of the people, as doing so would not sustain the good relelationship existing between the community and the company."
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