Reluctance to dredge Escravos: Ugborodo Community threathens disruption of IOCs operations

The Ugborodo Community in Warri, Delta State, is threatening to disrupt the operations of international oil companies (IOCs) in their region due to the failure of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to dredge the Escravos Bar Mouth and Warri River.

This failure has hindered larger vessels from accessing Delta Ports, thereby stifling commercial activities in the region.
The community operating under the aegis of Ugborodo Community Youth Development Body in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, signed by Wilson Ejeh and David Mamah, President and Public Relations Officer, respectively, expressed dissafection over the neglect of the Delta Port in Warri by the immediate past and the present administration.
It noted that all its appeals and entreaties to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Honourable Gboyega Oyetola,to dredge the Escravos Bar Mouth and Warri River, with a view to allow bigger ships and vessels access Delta Ports and subsequently revitalize commercial activities in Delta and neighbouring states, for the overall benefit of the Nation have been ignored.
The community, has also called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, for his neglect of the Delta ports.

The community expressed frustration with the current and past administrations’ failure to address the region’s economic needs, citing the high transportation costs and environmental degradation caused by oil and gas activities.
They pointed out that the situation has led to fuel price hikes for riverine communities and paralyzed local commerce, while oil majors continue to pollute the environment, killing off traditional livelihoods such as fishing.

In their letter, the community demanded that Tinubu take immediate action by replacing the Minister, restructuring the NPA leadership, relocating NNPCL pipelines that are blocking vessels, and initiating the dredging of the river.
The community warned that failure to meet their demands would result in disruptions to oil and gas operations in the area.

This demand is coming following growing discontent in the region, as communities feel sidelined in favor of ports in Lagos while their local infrastructure remains neglected.
The letter reads,
“Your Excellency Sir, all entreaties made to the Minister and heads of parastatals under him, either through written or verbal communication, to make them commit to the dredging of Escravos Bar Mouth/ Warri River, have fell on deaf ears.
“These entreaties, include the recent open letter addressed to Your Excellency,which was widely publicized in various print and online media across the country.
“This I – don’t – care attitude of the Minister, is not only disrespectful to the Ugborodo people, other Itsekiris and our neighbours, but tantamount to economic sabotage and deliberate attempt to project your administration in bad light before Deltans.
“It is vitally important at this juncture to emphasize that vessels that occasionally pass through the Escravos Bar Mouth, are often grounded for more than two weeks, as a result of NNPCL pipelines shallowly laid decades ago, resulting in astronomical increase in transportation and allied costs on the part of the importers.
“This leads to near comatose of the over 20 petrol depots in Delta State and eventually translating into huge financial burden on the consumers, especially riverine dwellers
who are compelled to cough out times two of what urban residents spend to buy diesel, PMS (fuel)and other petroleum products. “Succinctly put, our people in the coastal communities, spend far more money to buy fuel, diesel and cooking gas for domestic use, compared to those in the towns and cities. Even though the bulk of the oil and gas resources are in the riverine communities, we suffer the consequences of increase in petroleum products more, while the pollution of our environment by oil and gas majors, has killed fishing and other forms of whenever the management of Nigerian Ports Authority is called upon to address the situation of vessels going aground at the Escravos Bar Mouth, they are quick to blame it on NNPCL pipelines, while the NNPCL on its part, gives an impression of helplessness.”