Tension and uneasy calm have become the new order in the oil producing communities of Ohaji/Egbema as stakeholders and youths in the area are aggrieved over the purported appointment of the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere as the chairman of the Shell Gas plant project in Ohaji / Egbema.
The long quest by shell to build a multi – million naira gas plant project in Ohaji /Egbema paid off recently when the present administration signed a Memorandum Of Understanding with the multi – national oil company for the establishment of the project in the area.
Contrary to the expectations of the people of the area, the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha allegedly asked the Chief of Staff, Prince Madumere to be in-charge at the expense of prominent stakeholders from the area including the Commissioner for Petroleum and Energy, Bar Emma Ekweremba. The action of the Governor did not go down well with some youth organizations who are uncomfortable with the development. A youth Activist who pleaded anonymity disclosed that it was unfair for the Governor to exclude people of Ohaji/Egbema from taking charge of the implementation of the project from government angle.
According to the youth Activist, a major stakeholder would have been asked to take charge or the Commissioner for Petroleum and Energy who incidentally hails from the oil producing community. Prince Madumere hails from Mbieri, in Mbaitoli LGA
