Imo Govt. Spends N65m monthly on Security of Oil Communities

Imo State government has revealed that it spends N65 million monthly to maintain security and peace in the oil communities in the state without the oil companies contributing to it. Governor Rochas Okorocha disclosed this yesterday when the stakeholders in the oil sector comprising the state government, Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibeh Kachukwu, Oil Companies, traditional rulers from the Oil Producing Areas of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta local government areas met at the Government House Owerri to deliberate on issues concerning the Oil Producing Communities.

Welcoming the Minister, representatives of the Oil Companies and the Stakeholders from Oil Producing Communities to the meeting, Governor Okorocha stated that the Oil Companies Operating in Imo State behave in a manner that create crisis for the State and problems among the youths and stakeholders in the Oil Producing Communities through factionalisation and cult activities which always lead to killing among the communities themselves.

He said “today the State government spends almost N65 million monthly to pay Security agencies to maintain peace in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta. Meanwhile, we don’t benefit directly. Last time we carried out an amnesty programme where we had to engage 2,833 youths. And every day, most of them are on our payroll just to stop the arms and the avengers.”

He continued “again the Federal Government promises to Ohaji/ Egbema and Oguta LGAs when the Vice President came here are yet to be fulfilled. I spoke with him and he promised that something is going to be done. I hope something will be done immediately.”

On the abandoned skill acquisition Centre in Ohaji/Egbema, he said, "we agreed with the Federal Government to turn it into University of Science and Technology, but as at my last discussion with the Vice President, we agreed that it should be turned into a University of Agriculture.