Delta community gives FG 4-day ultimatum to halt bidding for 57 marginal fields

GBARAMATU kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, home kingdom of Government Ekpemupolo, alias, “Tompolo” has issued a four day ultimatum to Federal Government to halt the ongoing bidding process for 57 marginal fields, saying sons and daughters of the area should be given right of first refusal on fields located in Gbaramatu.

Spokesman of Gbaramatu kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, who spoke at the weekend, during a gathering of Gbatamatu sons and daughters in Oporoza, said they would not continue to watch while other parts of the country carted away the gains of oil fields in their area, leaving them with pollution and myriad of other environmental challenges to contend with from the fields.

The kingdom also called on the federal government to restart the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, Gas revolution industrial park, Ogidigben and Deep-seaport, Gbaramatu project, adding that the government should also bring back the Floating Dock/ship building yard relocated from Gbaramatu by President Muhammadu Buhari led government.

Gbenekama said the kingdom had earlier handed a 10 day ultimatum to the federal government to accede to their demand, adding that if the government failed to comply within the four days left in the ultimatum they would be forced to shut all oil exploration activities in the kingdom.

“You are aware that Gbaramatu Traditional council of Chiefs, in conjunction with the communities that make up Gbaramatu kingdom in a press release signed by me Chief Godspwer Gbenekama wrote to the President of the federation, Muhammadju Buhari about the continued marginalization of the kingdom and gave a 10 day ultimatum , that currently has just four days left.”, he said.

“We will shut down All Oil and Gas operations in our homeland if the federal government insists on continuing this marginalization “, he warned.