Emma Amaize
& Akpokona Omafuaire
6 September, 2011, Sweetrude, WARRI – HUNDREDS of placard-carrying women from at least 10 Gbaramatu communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, laid siege to the project site of Chevron Nigeria Limited at Chanomi Creek, yesterday, and disrupted the laying of pipelines for the multi-billon dollars Escravos Gas to Liquid, EGTL, project.
The workers of an indigenous service company, Fenog Nigeria Limited,which was handling the project were helpless as the women refused to vacate the site, while soldiers guarding them looked on.
The women form Okerenkoko, Oporoza, Benikrukru, Kurutie, Kunukunuma, Azama, Igoba, Pepe-Ama, Tebizon, Kokodiagbene communities, led by Mrs. Comfort Oguma said both the Federal Government and Chevron deceived them and demanded at all pre-contract agreements be fulfilled.
Mrs. Oguma told newsmen, “We are here for a peaceful demonstration, before this pipeline contract started, Chevron and Federal government agreed to provide water and light for us, but till now they have not done anything.
“We are demanding that the light and water be provided before further work can continue, we are here for a show down with Chevron and the government, we will not leave until these things are done.”
Another villager, Ms. Edith Odafe said, “We are in pains, Chevron has failed in its promise to us, we need these basic things of life and they promise to give us. The contract is far gone and they have not done anything, we sent people to them but they are not responding.
“We will not leave this site until Chevron and federal government fulfilled their promise, it is insult on our sensibility as a people, we mean this action, come rain or shine we will not go until our demands are met”, she added
According to Deaconess Agnes Timiyan , “We have suffered so much, they are piping this oil from here to Abuja, the resources for developing Abuja is from here yet we have no light and water. They agreed that they were going to provide water and light.
“Chevron and federal government are liars, they came to deceive us but now we want to take our destiny in our hands. We will not leave here until we get what was promised us, we have decided to die here, and we will remain here.”
