There are indications that the Rivers State University of Science and Technology planned relocation from its present site may suffer set back.
This is because the proposed site is said to be too small for a sustainable university campus and also,the site is an oil operation zone hosting not less them five oil wells presently.
This unwelcome phenomenon among others were disclosed on Saturday, December17, 2011, in Port Harcourt, when the state chief consultant to the project, Mr. Silas Idoko of Fugro Nigeria Limited presented his works on the Environmental impact assessment studies to the Federal Ministry of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) panel review on the project.
The panel was not comfortable with well heads in the campus and see no reason why oil operation will be folded up for the institution to occupy the site and also complained that 200 hectres of land as stated by the consultant is enough for sustainable project like university campus thereby insisting to know why the university must vacate the present site.
They also questioned how the present site will look like after the school has pulled out and what it shall be use for.
The panel later entered into a close door meeting.
Attempt to interview the consultant was aborted by staff of the state ministry of Environment.
In his speech, the paramount ruler of Omagwa, HRH Eze Jacob W. Orji, Nyewe-Ali Omagwa, told The Newswriter that though well heads are not in his community lands but on Omuadaolu Aluu land, not less than five oil wells are there.
“There are oil wells, about five of them, but they do not belong to my community Omagwa. They belong to Omuadaolu Aluu,” the Nyeweli said.
The Eze has it that his people being good citizens of the state stand on the promises of the government which said that local content of the project belongs to the communities, that they are going to get employment without struggle and that they will be given money to trade and many other benefits, since they have lost their farm/hunting lands.
He said that with these promises they can succumb to any option by the government but pledge that government should keep to their promises. ###
Mene Gbarabe &
Angela Anietie
