The people of oil-rich Ugborodo Community in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have suspended their over one week protest against Chevron Nigeria Limited over what they described as total neglect of the community by the oil giant and its divide and rule policy over the decades. This is even as a one-week notice was served on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to immediately relate with the the Ugborodo Community in line with provisions of the PIA or risk total shutdown of its facilities in Ugborodoland.
Addressing newsmen and thousands of protesters on behalf of the Eghare-Aja of Ugborodoland and the Council of Elders on Saturday at the Chevron-occupied facility in the area, Comrade Alex Eyengho however clarified that the protests have only been suspended for two weeks and not called off. This, according to him is to give Chevron and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to address key demands of the protesters including the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in tandem with the extant laws and accompanying Regulations.
During the course of the protests, Chevron led by the General Manager Operations (GMO), Engr. Andrew Omomehin and the Community held three different meetings on the way forward while the NUPRC through the Head, Warri Regional Office, Chief Benjamin Ogunjobi addressed a press conference, where it directed parties to revert to status quo, to give room for the Commission to mediate and resolve issues concerning the implementation of the PIA in Ugborodoland.
The Ugborodo Community during the course of the protests and on the request of Chevron, had presented in writing a 9-point demands to be met by the oil giant as a way forward. The demands were sent directly to the General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA), Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, copied the Business Director and the General Manager Operations.
While stating that both Chevron and NUPRC had shown reasonable level of commitments towards addressing the demands, Comrade Eyengho said the demands centered around lingering issues of lack of portable water and electricity, ocean surge and need for shore protection, employment/empowerment/contracts, PIA implementation and leadership, among others.
According to him, on the Ugborodo Community Leadership, the Ugborodo Community Council of Elders communicated to Chevron in writing since August 2022, that the 3-year tenure of the Augustine Oboroegbeyi-led Ugborodo Community Trust (UCT) was served out and as such ended on August 2, 2022. “Chevron waa further informed in the letter that pending the official announcement of a new UCT or Ugborodo Community Management Committee (UCMC) it and other stakeholders, all dealings with the Community should, in line with her extant Constitution be reverted to the Council of Elders. Sadly, Chevron disregarded the letter and still dealing with Oboroegbeyi and some members of the expired UCT till date. This action by Chevron is unacceptable and indeed provocative.” To this end, the demanded that Chevron should stop all such dealings forthwith and revert to the Ugborodo Community Council of Elders, pending when it will be informed officially of the existence of a new UCMC/UCT.
On the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), “we state for the umpteenth time that Chevron has not met or consulted with Ugborodo Community in any way whatsoever on this matter, till date, despite several written requests by the community for Chevron to do so. To this end, we say to Chevron that we are still waiting for this to happen so we can give to them suitable names of indigenes of Ugborodo Federated Communities as members of the Board of Trustees in line with the PIA. We further demand that Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere HCDT) should be created for us and should compose of the following communities: Ode-Ugborodo, Ogidigben, Ajudaibo, Madangho, Ijaghala, Ugboegungun and Ugboloegin.”
“On the issue of the existential ocean surge and dire need for a world class shore protection in Ugborodoland, we know that this may not directly be the primary responsibility of Chevron, but it is our believe that Chevron can, and should chest out for Ugborodo Community in terms of advocacy to draw the attention of the appropriate quarters (Government at all levels, relevant MDAs, etc) to provoke necessary and immediate action.
According to the protesters, there are other equally important Ugborodo Community internal infrastructural issues like the lack of portable water, epileptic electricity, etc that require Chevron’s very urgent attention. “The importance of water and electricity to the community, cannot be overemphasised,” Eyengho added.
“Ugborodo Community indigenes are not being involved directly in the procurement of materials by Chevron. This situation is unacceptable and must change. Our people should be encouraged and supported by Chevron to be part of the procurement in the company. Ugborodo Community will send to Chevron a list of qualified indigenous contractors for evaluation and subsequent patronage. As host community of the Terminal, Ugborodo Community demand for a certain percentage (%age) of direct employments into Chevron and contract employments. The percentage should be clearly stated and implemented at all times. To this end, we propose 50% for direct Chevron employments and 70% for contract employments.
“Relevant laws stipulate that any job less than five hundred thousand United States Dollars ($500,000,00) is within the threshold that can be executed within Chevron system without passing through the NIPEX system. To this end, Chevron should encourage and support Ugborodo Community contractors to participate fully in this threshold.
“We further demand that all pending employment should be resolved without further delay. In addition, we want the Chevron gate to be open for all workers who want to reside in the community to be allowed to do so, especially those who are indigenes. The economy of the community is deteriorating by the day, in comparison to other communities. Rather than getting better, the situation is getting worse. This general situation and sorry state of Ugborodo Community, indigenes and other residents, should change for good, going forward. This is the summary of our modest demands,” Comrade Eyengho told journalists and other stakeholders.
