MONARCHS from the Oil Minerals producing communities in Imo State (Izombe and Oguta, in Oguta Local Council), under the auspices of Traditional Rulers from the Oil Mineral Producing Communities (TROMPCOM), recently rose from a meeting decrying what they called large-scale marginalisation of their communities despite the oil produced in it.
In attendance were the duo of the Imo State chairman of the body and a monarch in Izombe, Eze Boniface Nwauwa, and the Chairman of the Oguta Traditional Rulers Council, and the monarch of Obudiagwa, Eze Ignatius Nwanano.
The meeting also admitted a newly recognised monarch of Umunwagu, Izome autonomous community, Eze Chijioke Egwuagu, who joined in demanding that the Federal and Imo State Governments should intervene to solve the problem of marginalisation of their communities to ensure that their entitlement as communities that produce oil are given them.
Nwauwa urged the authorities to pay attention to these needs, adding infrastructural facilities, and social amenities, such as health institutions, as well as scholarships needed to be put in place by the oil companies operating in their area, while the monthly 13 per cent derivation should also get to them.
The monarch, who is partially blind said: “Government should talk to the oil companies to recognise us, host communities.”
The Paramount ruler of Oguta and the 46th in the rulership, Eze Nnani Nzeribe, expressed joy that Egwuagu, after going through the trouble for more than four years of being fully recognised, got the staff of office from the state government, leading to his ascendancy as a member of Oguta Council of Traditional Rulers. He said that out of about N4 billion-derivation share that come to the state, monarchs from the area receive only a “paltry” N100, 000 monthly.
He regretted that most monarchs had absconded their area due to the activities of restive youths who feel marginalised in benefitting from the oil resource from their communities.
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