Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, has appealled to the good people of Otuabagi community in Ogbia LGA, to allow work to resume on the Oloibiri Oil Museum and Research Center project site.
The Minister, who appealled to the Community when the President of IYC Worldwide, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri Snr, the Chairman of Otuabagi Chiefs Council and others met him in Yenagoa on Sunday, to seek his attention on the ongoing disput, urged them to prioritize progress over grievances, noting that Oloibiri’s prolonged neglect makes this opportunity too valuable to miss.
While emphasizing that Oloibiri area, which oil was first struck in commercial quantity, has faced prolonged neglect and urged the community to seize the current opportunity, rather than letting grievances hinder progress, the Minister said two wrongs don’t make a right, therefore the community should focus on moving forward.
He promised to go back to Abuja and address some pressing matters and schedule a convenient date to come back to resolve all lingering issues.
Heineken Lokpobiri, requested that they return to the community and persuade them to reopen the site for construction, and focus on the project’s long-term benefits, pointing out that it is the community that stands to lose if anything happens.
Recalled that the site was shut down due to disagreements involving the community, Julius Berger, and the state government’s steering committee, which prompted the President of IYC, to intervene and sought the attention of the Honourable Minister.