The Jesse Height Development Association (JHDA) has given the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Pipelines and Product Marketing (PPMC) 90-day ultimatum to complete and inaugurate the abandoned Jesse 22-bed Hospital project.
The group gave the ultimatum in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr Austine Aghomi and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Warri.
The statement was also addressed to the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, King Monday Whiskey amongst others.
Idjerhe Kingdom which is translated as Jesse is in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta.
The group demanded that the Hospital project be upgraded from its 1999 design which according to them may have been overtaken by time to a modern full-fledged Hospital and inaugurate it within 180 days of the notice.
“Failure to comply with the above ultimatum, JHDA will deploy all lawful means to compel NNPCL and PPMC to compensate the people of Idjerhe Kingdom (Jesse) and neighboring communities pending completion of the project.
“We are also asking the NNPCL and PPMC to avail us an update report on the project, detailing the contractor, extent of job done, level of mobilisation and reasons for it’s abandonment for over 24 years after approval,” the group asked.
The association recalled that the project was awarded by the NNPCL in partnership with the PPMC following a five-day petrol fire disaster that rocked the Jesse community on Oct. 18, 1998 where no fewer than 1098 persons were allegedly fared dead.
The group observed that despite the unfortunate fire incident, the people of Idjerhe Kingdom (Jesse) had remained peaceful, calm and law abiding.
They, however, frowned at the disposition of the NNPCL and PPMC toward executing the sensitive project despite the volume of oil production in Idjerhe Kingdom and its neighbouring communities.
“The Idjerhe Kingdom and neighbouring communities have over 20 Oil wells and a Flow station providing about 100,000 Barrels of crude oil per day.
“However, we have remained peaceful in the face of the NNPCL/PPMC inciting neglect of the sensitive project. The quietness of the Idjerhe Kingdom and neighbouring communities should not be taken for granted by the companies,” the group concluded.
Effort to reach the Community Relations Officer of PPMC for a response was unsuccessful.
