Emma Arubi
7 September, 2011, Sweetcrude, WARRI – FOLLOWING Chevron’s alleged non-implementation of agreements reached with the leadership of the oil-rich Ugborodo community in Warri South-West council area of Delta state, all operational activities of the oil giant and that of the multi-billion naira Escravos-Gas-To-Liquid, EGTL, were early yesterday morning shut down.
The community is protesting non-provision of employment opportunities for thousands of qualified Itsekiris, lack of electricity in some of their communities, lack of portable water, network of roads and bridges including refusal to construct a befitting shore protection for the community that is at the verge of extinction due to the vagaries of ocean surge.
Speaking on the issues leading to their action, a community leader, Mr. Isaac Botosan and the National Chairman of the Ugborodo youth body, Mr. Julius Atete noted that Chevron has declined to relocate their training centre from Ogere to their operational base in Delta state in spite of having provided all the required facilities demanded by the company.
The community leaders expressed regret that Chevron is deliberately shot-changing Niger Deltans of their due rights and privileges especially in the areas of employment and training while greedily filling all juicy vacancies with people from other part of the country to the detriment of indigenous qualified people.
Workers with some of the many oil servicing companies at the Chevron Tank Farm and the Escravos –Gas –To-Liquid, EGTL, project site who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that all operations at Escravos, including flights operations has been ground since early morning as they were all requested to remain in their various rooms.
Chevron sources disclosed that they are in deep consultations with the leadership of the Ugborodo community to seek amicable solution to the logjam.
