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By Amos Odeh, Yenagoa
Deputy Governor of Delta State, Deacon Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, has pleaded with oil producing communities in Delta State to accept the Federal Government dialogue window over their demands for marginal fields in their domains amongst other concerns.
Otuaro spoke to newsmen in Asaba, against backdrop of insistence by some oil communities among the Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri to go ahead with earlier threats to shutdown oil operations in the state following expiration of their ultimatum.
“I informed oil bearing communities penultimate week that the FG has reached out to the Delta State Government which had engaged the FG on several of the issues raised by the communities. I wish to reiterate my appeal for peace in wait for the FG which we are confident is tidying up the table for dialogue. We will reach out to the communities. We all know that the issues can only be resolved on the table of dialogue”, Otuaro said.
“I believe that constructive engagement of the FG in dialogue is preferable to violence which is very likely to put our defenseless people on collision path with security agencies and deplete already achieved gains from dialogue process,” Otuaro said.
“I like to emphasize that the issues of marginal oil fields, Gas Revolution Industrial Park (GRIP) and Gbaramatu Deep Sea Port (GDSP), both components of the Escravos Export Processing Zones (EPZ) project, Omadino-Escravos and Ogheye-Koko road projects, modular floating dockyard, etc are genuine demands that are of mutual benefit to FG and the communities. We need not taint these demands through violent approach as same can be achieved through the window of dialogue opened by the FG,” Otuaro said.
