Leadership and members of Ogbia Communities in Bayelsa, have applauded the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, for Wednesday’s kick off of Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre Project.
The Chairman, Otuabagi Council of Chiefs, Chief Kenny Clinton, in an interview with journalists on Friday, noted that the project which had remained on the drawing board for several decades was a dream come true.
“It has brought a very great joy because this is a long awaited project, some of our fathers who were eager to see this lasting legacy by the government have died without seeing it, so we that are opportuned to see today, we are filled with joy.
“The oil and gas museum will remain as a historical landmark, and it will bring development to Otuabagi Community, because despite our huge contribution to Nigeria’s economy, you can see that several decades after development has eluded us.
“We are still surrounded by bush, several governments at the centre have made promises to us without fulfilling them, but Buhari’s government has shown signs of sincerity to us. We are very happy and give credit to NCDMB and Petroleum Ministries run by our patriotic sons, Simbi Wabite and Timipre Sylva respectively,” Clinton said.
He explained that Ogbia communities are divided into districts and Otuabagi, where oil was first struck, is in Oloibiri district, so Shell discovered oil here in Otuobagi in 1956.
He said that rather than name the oilfield after Otuabagi, Shell named the field after the district instead of naming it after the very community the oil field is located.
Oloibiri oil fields currently falls under Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29, now operated by indigenous oil firm, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production, following SPDC’s divestment from the asset in 2015.
Aiteo acquired SPDC’s interest in OML 29, which includes the 97-kilometre Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL) for US$ 2.4 billion.
“Oloibiri Community is very far from this oil field, we do not even have a boundary with them.
“I call on all sons and daughters of Otuobagi to be peaceful, we should see this project as a welcome development in this Community and every Otuobagi indigene should protect this project, so that it comes to stay,” Clinton said.
Also, Omounkorigha George-Adionin, Chairman of Otuabagi Community Development Committee, expressed delight that the project has brought respite to the area that launched Nigeria into the league of oil exporting countries.
“The whole of Ogbia is in the mood of joy, because we have not seen this before, we have been looking forward to seeing a thing like this but it has not been done, but thank God we have seen the commencement of this project, it marks prosperity.
“The Federal Government should put all hands on deck to ensure that the project is actualised because we are the goose that laid the golden egg that fed the whole nation for decades.
“Though it took too long for government to remember us, but I think this is God’s own time for Otuobagi Community,” the Community leader said.
The groundbreaking for the project, valued at N17 billion, was performed by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, on Wednesday.