Imo youths threaten to shut down all oil facilities in their state if Ohaji-Egbema gas plant is not completed

ANGRY youths in Imo State have threatened to shut down all federal government oil facilities in the state in response to the failure to complete the Ohaji-Egbema gas plant that was first commissioned in 2001.

Like many of Nigeria's oil-producing states, Imo has been promised modern facilities to transport oil and gas found within its domain that will create jobs. However, despite the federal government promising to build the facility 13 years ago, it has not been completed and the people of the area have threatened to take direct action.

Known as the Egbema Elites, local youths have threatened to shut down all oil in the state, accusing the federal and state governments, as well as the oil companies operating in the area of deliberately marginalising their communities. Francis Uzor, the leader of Egbema Elites, said that the community had been in total blackout for over 30 years.

He alleged the ministry of power had treated the people of Egbema community with disdain, adding that the management of the abandoned gas plant refused them access into the facility. Mr Uzor added:  “We are here to inquire why the Egbema gas plant which, was awarded in 2001 has been abandoned since 13 years now.

“Egbema people are very peaceful people we are not as restive and violent as people think we are. We are here to know if there is any way we can help out as since I was born we have not had electricity yet we have the highest deposit of gas in the whole of Africa.”

Another youth identified as Ademachukwu Chimaraoke, called on the anti-graft agencies to probe the N18bn contract awarded to ensure that the project was completed. Mr Chimaraoke said if the federal government failed to ensure that the abandoned project was revived in  two weeks, the group would march to Abuja for a protest.

He stated that not even the promises made by vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo when he visited the state in 2017 that the abandoned gas plant would be revived in two weeks had not been delivered upon. Women's leader, Elizabeth Opara, added that if the federal government fails to revive the abandoned gas plant within two weeks, the women of the community would protest naked in Abuja.