Otti vows to protect oil producing communities

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has assured the host communities of oil and gas companies in the State that his administration would ensure that their lands are not polluted by the activities of the oil companies.

He gave the assurance in Umuahia on Thursday during the inauguration of Maxwell Nwagbara and other executive members of Abia State chapter of Oil and Gas Host Communities Committee.

The Governor observed that many of the oil producing communities in Abia and the Niger Delta at large are in terrible conditions and cannot boast of meaningful development over the past 60 years despite producing the oil that lubricates the nation’s economy.

Governor Otti, who was represented by the Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Professor Joel Ogbonna, said that his administration has taken the bold step to protect the interests of host communities in the State through the initiative of Abia State Industrial and Innovation Park, building of Modular Refinery at Owaza, payment of…