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| Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah |
During Mr.
Osinbajo’s visit to Akwa Ibom, one of the speakers who made a case against the
federal government, Mobil and other IOCs operating in the state was Nduese
Essien, a former minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
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| Mr. Nduese Essien, former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development |
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| Franklyn Isong, Publisher Rader Newspaper and Public Affairs Commentator |
Mr. Essien told
the acting president, “Apart from the 13 per cent oil derivation money paid to
the state government, the oil producing communities in Akwa Ibom have nothing
to show for several years of oil exploration in the state.
“The federal government
has shown no interest in meaningful development and presence in the areas,
other than providing policemen and other security personnel in the area.
“They only provide policemen and other
security to ensure that oil flows uninterrupted in the area.
“The oil
services companies come from outside Akwa Ibom with their workers whose taxis
are paid to their places of residence. The auxiliary benefits and the
multiplier effects of operating in the oil producing area are therefore lost.”
Mr. Essien said
the story of oil exploration in the state was “the story of woes”, and added
that the state was exceptionally peaceful in the Niger Delta region because the
elders prevailed upon the youth not to bomb oil pipelines.
“We can no
longer guarantee that the youth will continue to listen to us if the federal
government continues to ignore us,” Mr. Essien said, pleading with the federal
government to reward the state with needed projects and human development.
He reiterated
the demand of the people that oil companies operating in the state should move
their headquarters to the state.
“Today, all
those impediments ranging from lack of airport, road network, housing, and
accommodation have been conquered. They don’t have any excuse not to move their
headquarters to Akwa Ibom.”
The agitation
for the relocation of Mobil’s headquarters was initiated about 15 years ago by
the then Akwa Ibom governor, Victor Attah, who is known for his call for
resource control and fiscal federalism.
During his
administration, in 2001, Mr. Attah brought the World Conference of Mayors to
the state to use it to further the agitation against Mobil.
After their
conference in Eket, the mayors who came all the way from the U.S and Europe
added their voices to the call for Mobil to relocate its head office to the
state.
Mr. Ekanem, the
environment activist that ExxonMobil wrote to, believed that a lot of changes
have taken place in the last 12 years that should compel Mobil to change its
stand on the issue.
“If nothing
else, now that Nigerian Vice President has thrown his weight behind this thorny
issue, our state government and the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly should be
emboldened to take on this issue with renewed vigor and optimism,” Mr. Ekanem
wrote on Ibom Forum.
Franklyn Isong
in his piece recently published on his Facebook timeline entitled:
"Eket-Ibeno Road: Is Udom Emmanuel a Bullying Governor?" has this to
say: "For the records, the most vocal administration we have had, is the
one led by Obong Victor Attah. But, as it were, the administration never
bullied, intimidated or fought development partners, be it, federal agencies or
multinationals. I supported his advocacy for all oil and gas companies
including MPN (ExxonMobil) to relocate their operational headquarters from
Lagos and Port Harcourt to Akwa Ibom State.
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