02 March 2016, Lagos -Four years after the explosion that rocked a Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, facility off the Atlantic coast of Koluama in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, the host communities have accused the oil giant of neglect. *Offshore oil rig on fire.
Aggrieved youths from the host communities of Koluama kingdom, again, last week, laid siege to the KEFFES Rural Development Foundation’s Yenagoa office to draw attention to the plight of their people.
The placards carrying youths among others, demanded explanations for the nonpayment of compensations for the January 2012 rig explosion.
Recall that the youths of Koluama II community, had on September 15, 2014, boarded and occupied the North Apoi oil platform operated by Chevron in protest over alleged nonpayment for the rig blowout.
They however vacated the facility after officials of the oil firm opted for dialogue brokered by Maj-Gen Emmanuel Atewe, the then Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield. Spokesman for the youths, Mr Stephen Ebrasin, said they were seeking to draw the attention of Chevron to the plight of the communities caused by the rig explosion.
“We are here because of Chevron’s failure to pay adequate compensation for the KS Eandeavour rig explosion and failure to clean up the area.
“The rural development foundation to carry out development projects in line with the GMoU model company that the company agreed to fund, for the past three years they have not carried out any development.
“The foundation has also not convened annual general meeting for the past two years where we are supposed to present our development needs, the foundation has abandoned us and we are here to find out why,” Ebrasin said.
- Vanguard