Angry youths of Gbarain kingdom in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State have sent a Save-Our-Soul message to the national security adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki and the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan over the alleged neglect of the multi-million dollars Gbarain-Ubie Gas project by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) which is threatening the peace of the kingdom.
The youths, under the aegis of the Gbarain Youth Federation (GYF), said over the weekend, that though the SPDC operations started in 1972 without disturbance by the communities in Gbarain kingdom, the SPDC’s refusal to uplift the standard of living of the youths and the neglect of the communities which left them with airborne diseases, environmental pollution and abject poverty is provoking anger and may threaten the Gbarain-Ubie Gas project in the area.
According to the letter by the GYF, signed by its president, Comrade Akeri Okoro, the secretary-general, Comrade Ebiuge Amakoromo and the public relations officer, Comrade Ebibibo Uwoubeingha, the continued refusal of the SPDC to honour the series of correspondence from the Gbarain people as well as its social responsibility clause to the Gbarain communities is provoking tension and insecurity in the kingdom.
The GYF said, “The entire communities under the Gbarain kingdom frown at the neglect by the SPDC and a violation of the corporate social responsibility of the company.”
The operations of the oil multinational in Gbarain kingdom have left the communities to suffer abject poverty, air borne diseases and environmental pollution.
