Godwin Udoh, Asaba
Works at the ongoing multi-billion Naira LPG/IPP mini-petrochemical plant in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State have been put on hold has protesters, in their hundreds, barricaded the entrance to the company demanding for their benefits as host communities.
The protesters accused the company handling the project, Seepco/Ashtavinayak Hydrocarbons Ltd of alleged refusal to meet up its corporate social responsibilities.
The Nigerian Xpress gathered that members of the Ogbeani community were seen inside and outside the company premises in clusters, barricaded the entrance of the company and chanting solidarity songs.
The protesters, who were predominantly the elderly and youths vowed that work would not go on until the management of the company meet the agreements reached with them.
The protesters, with placards who were bearing various inscriptions like, ‘Stop the division amongst our brothers’, ‘The Ogbeanis are not stupid but rather law abiding people of Delta’, ‘We are peaceful community before you came’, ‘The youths need jobs so we can be able to feed our family’, among others said that since the company came on board, the community had not felt their impact in any way.
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Chairman of Ogbeani Development Union, Chief Daniel Oba-Ogu, noted that in January 2018, the company acquired an area of land measuring 81.767 hectares with promised of contracts, job slots, cash compensation to the donors of the land.
He further added that based on the arrangements, the said land was acquired while Clause 7 of the agreement stated that the acquisition of the land shall be governed by local content policy and that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), shall be mutually agreed and signed by both parties.
“Right from the inception of the project we agreed to have MoU but the company have been averting it in order to continue to cheat the community, they refused to do things that are accruable to the community they are not doing them.
“During the construction of tanks farm they brought in 40 Indians no workers from our community, they keep making promises.
“They don’t want to carry the community along rather they are causing trouble and trying to divide our community.
“When we go for meetings with their representatives they will tell us they don’t have the power to decide that is why we are carrying out this protest so that those who can take decision and implement them will come out to meet with us. They should give us our quota from the jobs available.”
Public Relations Officer of the Ogbeani community, Mr. Lucky Ojumah, equally regretted that the company has reneged on the promises made before the commencement of the project and urged the company to retrace it footsteps for the interest of both parties.
He observed that the catchment area deserved the rights for maximum benefit as stipulated by the Local Contents Act, noting that they have written several letters to appreciate quarters in search for peaceful resolution to the issues.
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“We have so many professional here in oil and gas including well trained welders and filters that have the requisite experiences but they won’t engage us rather they import Indians.
“The two storage tanks they completed no Nigerians or indigenes worked with them. They promised to carry the community along when they took over our lands.”
Meanwhile, efforts made to reach the Community Relations Officer of the company to speak on the matter proved abortive, but one of the Chief Security Officers, who pleaded for anonymity, urged the protesters to give room for dialogue, explaining that every issue would be resolved in no distance time.
