From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
The people of Ugborodo community in Warri South-West, Delta State, have issued a seven-day ultimatum to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), now operating under the name renaissance, as well as NPDC, SEPLAT, NGIC, NPSL, Mobil offshore and other international oil companies (IOCs), demanding the immediate incorporation and operationalisation of their Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) across onshore, offshore and deep offshore assets in their domain.
Speaking at a tripartite press conference held on Wednesday, October 1, in Ode-Ugborodo, the community’s global headquarters, the Ugborodo Community Management Committee (UCMC), Ikpere Alemeje Women Traders’ Association and the Ugborodo Community Youth Development Body (UCYDB) jointly accused the oil multinationals and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) of ‘deliberate neglect, disrespect and exploitation’ of host communities in violation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Host Community Development Regulations.
Addressing the press through their leaders, Mr. Emmanuel Onuwaje (UCMC Chairman), Madam Helen O. Nuco (Women Traders Chairlady) and Mr. Wilson Ejeh (UCYDB chairman), the community alleged that despite decades of oil exploration and billions of dollars generated from their land, Ugborodo people have been left without potable water, electricity, employment or meaningful youth empowerment opportunities.
They further accused Chevron and Renaissance of systematically sidelining qualified indigenes in employment processes, instead of importing “relatives and friends from other parts of the country” to occupy jobs and contracts meant for host communities.
On the delay in implementing the NBC/NUPRC joint report on communities within the 500-metre buffer zone of the Escravos coastlines, the groups accused the Commission of stalling the implementation, thereby frustrating Ugborodo’s recognition as a statutory host community and preventing the establishment of HCDTs.
Committee’s Secretary, Samuel Besidone, who read the statement, said: “We are tired of waiting. If nothing is done within seven days, we will be forced to stop all operations by International Oil Companies in our land.
“Our people are tired of being ignored. NUPRC must recognise us and set up our HCDT without delay.
“The patience of our people cannot remain indefinite. Failure of IOCs, NUPRC and relevant agencies to act within seven days will leave us with no option but to put a complete stop to all International Oil Companies’ operations within our communities. Enough is enough.”
They condemned recent attempts by some elements to destabilise the community’s peace and unity, including the formation of a “Governing Council of Ugborodo Community Trust” by unauthorised individuals.
They accused the groups of trying to incite violence and undermine the authority of recognised community organs.
Specifically, the leaders condemned the recent attempt by a group of self-exiled individuals to set up a parallel governing council for Ugborodo at a hotel in Warri South, far from the community.
They accused one of the group’s backers, allegedly a state government appointee, of plotting to destabilise Ugborodo and warned of potential conflict if any external force attempted to enforce the illegitimate council.
“We will resist any effort to invade our land in the name of government-backed deception. Our peace and unity are non-negotiable.
“You may be aware that some jokers recently converging somewhere at Ajamimogha, in far away Warri South LGA, constituted a nuisance and deluded themselves with the laughable and dead-on arrival act of constituting a so-called “Governing Council of Ugborodo Community Trust.”
“Some of the mass media organisations who covered the unholy convergence far away from Ugborodo community, allowed their media to be used to tell lies that the said unholy convergence was at Ugborodo community. What could be more deceptive, with a part of the media organisations as accomplice. These sets of self-exiles have no doubt completely lost touch with the realities on ground in the Ugborodo community. The known administrative organs set up and authorised by the appropriate authorities in Ugborodo community is the UCMC under the leadership of Mr. Emmanuel Onuwaje, Ikpere ALEMEJE Women Traders’ Association led by Madam Helen O. Nuco and the UCYDB under the leadership of Mr. Wilson Ejeh.
“The executives and members of these tripartite vital organs are seated here with us at Ode-Ugborodo, headquarters of the Ugborodo community. I leave you to be the judge. Though we are not in any way perturbed by the shenanigans of these self-exiled characters, we are nonetheless disturbed by the potential threat of their unpatriotic acts, to the current security, peace and unity in Ugborodo community, particularly when one of their sponsors is an appointee of the Delta State Governor, with the title/office, “DG Security.” Be that as it may, we are on ground and at alert.
“We shall resist any person or group of persons, who are bent on destabilising our dear Ugborodo community. No more, no less. The government at all levels should please take note as we are aware of his antics to invade the community with armed military personnel,” the community leaders stated.
