30 January 2015, Ughelli – Youths of Ogulagha community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, under the aegis of Sokebolou/Yokiri Federated Youths, have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal and Delta State Governments over alleged “non-inclusion of Sokebolou/Yokiri, Adedegbene, Oloseimoere, Agboromagbene communities in the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project or face the wrath of the communities.”
The group, in a statement by its President, Mr. Binaebi Adiwei, said they resolved to issue the ultimatum after series of letters were written to the Presidency, Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Delta State Government to include them as stakeholders in the EPZ project failed to yield the desired result.
He alleged that the Sokebolou/Yokiri people own over 50 percent of the land acquired for the EPZ project and that they were not being treated as major stakeholders. They called on the federal and state governments and Ministry of Petroleum Resources to see the urgency of including them in every negotiation and meeting regarding the EPZ project.
“We will not hesitate to shut down the over 70 oil wells if by the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum, there is no sign from any of the appropriate quarters to ensure the inclusion of Sokebolou/Yokiri, Adedegbene, Oloseimoere, Agboromagbene and other communities in the EPZ project,” he said.
– Vanguard
