From Joshua Chibuzo Andrew| Owerri
The concerned people of Assa North cluster on Thursday 14 December 2023 held a peaceful demonstration in Ohaji area of Imo State to protest against neglect of social responsibility by a leading Gas giant, Anoh Gas Processing Company (AGPC), citing several areas the community is deficient, which is not limited to the Assa-ohoba-obosima road.
According to the spokesperson of Assa North cluster, Comrade Duke-Bright C.C. Enyia, the cluster which is made up of many host communities including Assa, Obile, Ochia, Awarra, Ohoba and Obosima communities, ab initio wrote to intimate the Nigerian Police and other security agencies of the arrangement to embark on a peaceful demonstration against AGPC for their marginalization and calculated neglect over the host communities.
Although, our correspondent tried to reach the said Anoh Gas Processing Company (AGPC) to speak on the issue, but all efforts proved abortive as at press time.
However, a press release signed by relevant Government Security agencies and the spokesperson, reads; “Our terms of demonstration is peaceful and we are law abiding citizens of this country poised to using this avenue to express our inalienable right to peaceful demonstration aimed at drawing the attention of the Government, the management of ANOH GAS PROCESSING COMPANY (AGPC) and the entire world to the plight of our people.
It is pertinent to note that for over Four Years of ANOH GAS PROCESSING COMPANY operation in our area, there has not been any significant development or positive impact by the company on the Host Communities. We lack electricity, access roads, good hospitals, et.al and instead of developing our Communities; the ANOH GAS PROCESSING COMPANY has only succeeded in Balkanizing our Communities thereby depriving us of numerous benefits, opportunities, undertakings and engagements as specified in the local content and PIA act for Host Communities”.
The press release also reads;
“Secondly, the ANOH GAS PROCESSING COMPANY had conceded without due diligence and right rule of engagement for capacity to awarding the ASSA-OHOBA– OBOSIMA Road to incompetent contractors who have demonstrated their unwillingness to construct that Road for over Three years it has been awarded thereby culminating into multiple accidents thus leading to deaths several injuries of members of the Host Communities, and has currently become an impasse for our people who are predominantly farmers making it unable to access their farms for daily bread hence, our peaceful demonstration. Note that this very road had broken down completely owing to the impact of the ANOH GAS PROCESSING COMPANY heavy trucks implored for their construction works.
Therefore, we call on the Government, the Nigerian Police and all other recognized security agencies in the State to prevail on ANOH GAS PROCESSING COMPANY to take urgent action hence we draw your attention to a peaceful demonstration to convey our plight”, the Indigenes through the spokesman said.
