Paramount Ruler of lkarama Federated Communities in Yenagoa local Government Area of Bayelsa State, HRH Wariebi Berebozigha, the 13th Ama-Miepinamo Owei of Ikarama Federated Communities, has decried government and oil companies’ “insensitivity” towards Infrastructural development in their domain despite being host to major oil companies, SPDC and NAOC that have been operating there for decades.
The monarch also said that being a peaceful and peace loving community without any negative reports of hostility, crisis or violence, government has continued to disregard their peaceful disposition.
HRH Berebozigha who is barely one year in office made this known while speaking to journalists in his palace at lkarama.
He said since he was coronated, he has implemented some self help projects such as roads, solar light, but we hear that NDDC is providing solar lights all over the Niger Delta state and enduring peace, and promised to do more with the cooperation from his subjects.
He disclosed that these affore mentioned projects were self help from the community without external funding.
The monarch said the only tangible project in the state was health centre that was constructed and equipped by NAOC, but was abandoned without staff and was vandalised and taken over by grasses and reptiles, until the state governor Senator Douye Diri during 5th year anniversary gave directives that it should be a cottage hospital and staff to be deployed there immediately. We are grateful to the governor, senator Douye Diri, deputy governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and the commissioner for Health, Prof Seiyaf Brisibe for this singular kind gesture.
He lamented that being an oil producing community, the people still lived in abject poverty without infrastructures.
“Nigeria Agip Oil company of Nigeria initiated a health centre and after building it was abandoned and was vandalised, until was taken over by Bayelsa state government on the 10th of February. The roads they constructed were meant to ease their access to their facilities, same thing to bridges they constructed. SPDC also provided water boreholes which they powered with diesel and a guest house that has been abandoned. But the generator that NAOC provided condiyioned us to buy diesel to power it,but my people are peasant farmers who could pay such levy.Compared to the quantum of oil and gas they produced from here, these projects were not commensurate. SPDC gave us light from Adibawa flow station, but whenever the put it off, we are thrown into darkness.
He also complained of the dilapidated Community Secondary School, lkarama with buildings poorly constructed and posed as threat to conducive learning environment. He also appealled to the Bayelsa Ministry of Education to provide perimeter fencing citing that schools in the communities of the commissioner of education, Dr Gentle Emelah and honorable member representing Yenagoa constituency 3, Honorable Ted Elemoforo, due to lack of perimeter fencing the is having security challenges to lives of youth corp members and frequent vandalisation and theft of the school properties.The students don’t have toilet facilities as they go to the forest to answer call of nature amid snakes attack.
Also, being the most populated community in Okordia clan with registered population of over 1000, with one pulling unit is appalling and called on political class to advocate for more pulling units. HRH Berebozigha also appealled for a community market and ready to donate land free to the government.
He also commended the Bayelsa Media Network Award for nominating him as the Traditional Ruler of the Year, promising that he would not take the award, which he didn’t solicit for, for granted as it will rather spur him to do more for his subjects.
