Oil Has Become Curse, Burden For The Common Man

The Baysa State Oil and Environmental Commission is an independent international body of Commissioners, chaired by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, mandated by His Excellency, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, to investigate the impact of oil spill in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

The commission in a Town Hall meeting with the Chairmen, community development leaders, traditional rulers, community leaders, women groups, farmers associations and other stakeholders in Oporoma, southern Ijaw local government.

While addressing the Commission in a town hall meeting in Oporoma Community Comr. Perekebuna Mathew frown at the activities of the multinational companies in Southern Ijaw Local Government, says Oil has become a curse, a burden for the common man in southern Ijaw “Over 50% of non-oil revenues is determined by oil revenues. But for the people of Southern and the many oil-producing local government areas in the entire state, the blessing of oil paradoxically became a curse or at best a burden.

"Our means of livelihood, which is fishing and farming has consistently been destroyed by pollution."

“The roads, schools, hospitals and social amenities that the oil wealth should have provided are either not there or are patently inadequate."

“The majority of people of this community and several other oil-producing communities have heard of the wealth that oil has brought but have hardly benefited from it.”

While commending the commission, Comr. Mathew said the Town Hall meetings was timely and he appreciate commission for standing as a pillar of hope for the common man.