By: EMMA ARUBI, Warri Oil-rich Ugborodo Community in Warri South-West LGA of Delta State has issued a 7-day ultimatum to Chevron Nigeria Limit
By: EMMA ARUBI, Warri
Oil-rich Ugborodo Community in Warri South-West LGA of Delta State has issued a 7-day ultimatum to Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) and other International Oil Companies ( IOCs) operating in their land to initiate immediate action towards addressing their existential plights of ocean surge eroding their communities, lack of portable drinking water, gross unemployment and others.
Addressing a press conference at the Community traditional Headquarters at Ode-Ugborodo, Escravos on Wednesday at a tripartite gathering made up of members of the elders council, women and youths and the only recognized ruling existing bodies of Ugborodo Community Management Committee (UCMC) led by Emmanuel Onuwaje; Ikpere Ale-Meje Women Trader’s Association led by Madam Helen.O. Nuko and the Ugborodo Community Youth Development Body(UCYDB) led by Mr Wilson Eken respectively, the mammoth crowd of indigenes from the 5 communities that make up Ugborodo, stated that as the highest producer of oil and gas resources in Nigeria and Delta State in particular, they have not adequately benefited from the Federal Government, the state government and even local government in spite of the huge revenue generated from their God- given land.
Specifically, they said that Chevron and SPDC now bearing a new name-Renaissance, NPDC, Seplat, NGIC, NPSPL Mobil Offshore and others, does not have up to 2% of Itsekiris or even Ugborodo indigenes as staff while they employ other Nigerians to come work on their land for all these years, saying these gross marginalization has to stop now.
Addressing newsmen at his residence, the Eghare-aja (Head of the Ugborodo Community) made up of Ode-Ugborodo, Ajudiabo, Ogidigben,Madangho and Ijahala, Pa. Daniel Uwawah said, “it is very painful to know that Chevron employs other Nigerians daily that come to work at Ugborodo without employing of our massive qualified youths or other Itsekiri persons” in spite of his several letters”.
He therefore, appealed to the Federal And state government to call Chevron and the IOCs to order before things get out of hand.
But at the press conference and the statement read at the Community Town Hall by the Secretary Mr. Kiki, the tripartite group stated that the time for rhetorics is gone and it’s time for action. “Let it be on record that failure of these IOCs, NUPRC and other relevant government agencies to act within a reasonable time frame of 7-days will leave us with norms other option but to put a complete stop to all their operations within our communities untill they do the needful”.
They expressed regret that they have bluntly refused to incorporate and start operating the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) of the PIA for both the onshore, Offshore and Deep offshore for them,stating that they shall no longer take this degree of disrespect from them in Ugborodo land.
The tripartite conference unanimously agreed that there are no factional groups again in the community even as they further disown a purported Ugborodo Community Trust Committee set up last week in Warri South LGA as lacking the Community traditional authority to inaugurate such body and called on the state Governor to call some of his aides who are bent on causing disunity, disharmony and unwarranted crisis in Ugborodo to order as they have resolved to be United for the positive growth and development of the entire community.
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