… as Presco clarifies issues
Stakeholders in Orogho Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State have condemned in totality the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) meeting convened by the management of Presco Plc, which was recently held at a popular hotel in Benin City, saying it was not in the best interest of the people.
Meanwhile, Presco Plc, in a statement by its Relations Manager, Tony Uwajie, reaffirmed the resolution of his office in respect of the EIA meeting, which according to him, was adequately attended by the representatives of 11 communities invited.
Speaking on behalf of the Enogie in council, HRH Engr. Patrick Akenzua, Odionwere and elders, during a peaceful protest to dissociate themselves and register their displeasure over the EIA meeting, Ikponmwosa Osayomore, the General Secretary, Ekhator Lucky, Edomwonyi Augustine, and Ilawagbon Jolly, berated Presco Plc for among others, convening a meeting of EIA without first holding meeting with Orogho Community.
Secondly, they accused Presco Plc of giving autonomy to quarters to wit; Obagie Nunuamen, Obanakhoro, Iwevbo, Ugbigun and others under the Orogho Community, thereby making them an independent villages, a development, according to them that is capable of causing a communal crisis in the locality, especially when it became glaring that the Presco Plc has given a Sokponba estate status to its operational scope instead of bearing Orogho reserve.
The youths also accused Presco Plc of circumventing justice by not entering into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Orogho Community, being the principal host since it has been in operation for the past nine years.
They, however, appealed to Oba Ewuare 11 and Governor Godwin Obaseki to intervene to bring justice, as the people of Orogho Community are groaning over the excesses of the palm oil company.
But in a swift reaction, Tony Uwajie, Presco Plc Relations Manager, lamented their actions, pointing out that the invitation to the EIA meeting was absolutely delivered through the Enogie, who is both administrative and traditional head and the protest should not have arisen.
He maintained that Presco Plc had fulfilled its corporate social responsibilities to the 26 host communities, including Orogho Community.
He said the Sokponba estate was named after Sokponba reserve, which ascribes to Orogho, was not to reduce its value but to reflect the government reserves for ease of identification.
He cited Obaretin Forest Reserve, from which the Presco Plc estate derived its name, stressing that the MoU was part of the Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) meeting that was disrupted by fracas that ensued during an earlier meeting convened to chart a way forward.
Uwajie noted that Presco Plc has increased the four scopes of studies for yearly scholarship grant to 14, thereby giving the opportunity to host communities to produce graduates that could occupy managerial positions as a way of creating jobs for the indigenes.
He clarified that the 14,400 acres of land was duly transferred to Presco Plc by Oba Erediauwa of blessed memory and that the remaining 2,500 hectares of land was got from the Urhonigbe Forest Reserve by the authority of the Edo State government, which makes a total of 17 hectares of land it is occupying, just as he advised them to remain patient as Presco Plc CSR remains robust to bring development in line with the expectations of the host communities.
